At least five Palestinians killed, 91 injured after Israeli military raid in West Bank

At least fivePalestinians have been killed and 91otherswounded after an Israeli military raid on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, said the Palestinian Ministry of Health, on Monday (June 19). This comes as the Israeli forces conducted an early morning raid involving an Apache helicopter for the first time in the West Bank in some two decades.

What has Israel said about the raid in the West Bank?

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Border Police said that their personnel entered the northern West Bank city in the early morning hours to detain two Palestinians. “During the activity, a massive exchange of fire took place between the forces and armed gunmen in the area,” said the Israeli forces, in a joint statement.

It added, “Large numbers of explosive devices were hurled at the forces. The forces responded with live fire.” The IDF also said that several suspects were hit during the raid and “as the security forces exited the city, a military vehicle was hit by an explosive device, damaging the vehicle".

At least seven Israeli troops and border police personnel were injured in the roadside blast and gunfire said the IDF and police. In a separate joint statement, Israeli forces said two IDF soldiers were moderately injured and five Border Police officers were moderate to lightly wounded and have been airlifted to hospitals in Israel for treatment.

An Apache helicopter was then deployed to launch missiles after gunmen were identified, said the IDF, to allow safe evacuation of the wounded soldiers and drive back gunmen. Israeli military spokesman Richard Hecht talking to the reporters after the initial firefight also said that the use of a roadside bomb was “very unusual and dramatic,” and said it might affect future military strategy in the territory.

Death toll after Israeli raid in Jenin rises to five

According to the Palestinian Wafa news agency, the raid began early morning, with Israeli troops storming the Jenin camp with live ammunition, stun grenades and toxic gas. It was later reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health that four Palestinians including a minor were killed during the raid.

The attack on the Israeli defence vehicles was later claimed by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades which said that they detonated explosive devices near IDF vehicles and targeted them with gunfire. It also claimed to have used high-grade explosives for the first time on Monday.

Speaking about Israel’s use of an aircraft, an official with the Palestinian armed group Islamic Jihad said, it “will push our fighters to use tools that will surprise the enemy,” reported Reuters. Notably, this was the first Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank since the early 2000s.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health later identified those killed as Khaled Darwish (21), Qassam Sariya (19), Ahmed Saqr (15), and Qassam Faisal Abu Sirriya (29), while the fifth Palestinian killed was not immediately identified. Its recent update also said that the number of those injured also rose to 91people from the initial reports of 45after the Israeli military raid in Jenin, out of which 10 were in critical condition, reported Al Jazeera.

Palestinian journalist among those injured: Officials

Palestinian journalist reporting from Jenin, Hazem Nasser, a cameraman for Al-Ghad TV channel, was wounded by Israeli fire during a military raid in West Bank, said the Palestinian health ministry, as per Al Jazeera. According to the health ministry, thejournalist's injury "ranges between medium to dangerous."

Clashes in West Bank’s al-Bireh: Report

A report by Al Jazeera said clashes erupted between young Palestinians and Israeli forces at the northern entrance of the occupied West Bank town of al-Bireh, on Monday.

The report also said that the Palestinian youth had closed the entrance near the Beit El military checkpoint with barriers and stones as well as set tyres on fire and threw stones at the Israeli forces who responded by firing rubber-coated bullets and tear gas.

Egypt condemns Israeli raid

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on Monday and said, “Egypt completely rejects this aggression, which contradicts all provisions of international law legitimacy.” It also went on to condemn what it called Israel’s “continued escalation against the Palestinians".

“Such attacks only inflame the situation further and risk going out of control, which undermines efforts to reduce tensions in the occupied territories,” the statement added.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE