6 Palestinians killed in Israeli raid targeting suspect for killing Israelis

by IANS |

Jerusalem, March 8 (IANS) At least six Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in an Israeli raid aimed at arresting a suspect involved in the killing of two Israeli brothers the previous week, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

In a video statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Palestinian suspect was killed during the raid on Tuesday in the refugee camp of Jenin in the northern West Bank, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Palestinian Health Ministry stated in a press release that six individuals were killed by gunshots, and at least 16 others were wounded during a gunbattle between Palestinians and Israeli troops in Jenin.

Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, said in a statement that the Israeli troops surrounded a building where the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Abdel Fattah Hussein Kharousha, and other militants were hiding.

The troops fired shoulder-launched missiles at the building. Video footage on social media showed large clouds of smoke emerging from a building in Jenin.

The Israeli authorities said Kharousha, a member of the Palestinian armed group and movement of Hamas, shot dead two Israeli settlers outside the town of Hawara in the northern West Bank on February 26. The attack prompted hundreds of Israeli settlers to go on a rampage in Hawara and other nearby towns, torching Palestinian houses, cars, and shops.

Netanyahu on Tuesday praised the Israeli forces, while vowing to continue to pursue Palestinian assailants who attack Israelis. "Whoever hurts us -- his blood on his head," he said.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the Israeli raid in a statement, saying that the "crime committed by the occupation forces reaffirms the Israeli government's intention to thwart all regional and international efforts aimed at stopping all unilateral actions."

The raid is the latest in a series of Israeli military operations in the West Bank to arrest Palestinians suspected of killing Israelis.

The Israeli-Palestinian tension has been escalating since the start of this year, leading to the killing of more than 70 Palestinians and 13 Israelis amid a vicious circle of violence.

Latest News
Magisterial probe ordered into Mukhtar Ansari's death Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:52 PM
Delhi HC to examine Google's advertising terms for legal remedies in India Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:49 PM
IPL 2024: 'Focused on the ball, believed in my practice', says Parag on match-winning 84 Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:45 PM
Samsung, employees agree to 5.1 pc pay raise for 2024 Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:43 PM
South Korean Ambassador to Australia resigns amid controversy over his appointment Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:41 PM
Pak Foreign Office endorses Foreign Minister's proposal on resuming trade with India Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:24 PM
Four drones launched by Yemen's Houthis destroyed: US military Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:16 PM
Executive Board of Rajasthan Cricket Association Dissolved; Ad-hoc Committee Established Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 12:07 PM
Bird flu outbreak reported at Bulgarian farm Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:48 AM
Dimitrov ends Alcaraz' chances of 'Sunshine Double' in Miami Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:43 AM
World should develop the concept of Green GDP: PM Modi Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:42 AM
Deepfakes in a democratic country like India a big concern: PM Modi Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:41 AM
FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:39 AM
One killed, 27 injured in multiple vehicles collision in Myanmar Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:36 AM
Bangladeshi teen in 'mental crisis' shot dead by New York police Fri, Mar 29, 2024, 11:31 AM