A Palestinian was killed and eight others were injured on Monday morning during clashes with the Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a press statement that the fatality, identified as 37-year-old Ashraf Ibrahim, succumbed to wounds he sustained from Israeli soldiers’ gunfire in Jenin.
According to the Palestinian official news agency of WAFA, Ibrahim was a former prisoner and an officer in the Palestinian General Intelligence Service.
Israel did not immediately comment on the identity of the fatality. The police said in a statement that they were looking into the incident.
The ministry’s statement added that most of the injured Palestinians were in moderate condition and had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
Palestinian eyewitnesses and security sources in Jenin said that an Israeli army force stormed several neighborhoods in the city to arrest Palestinians who were allegedly involved in attacks against Israeli soldiers and settlers.
The Israeli military said in a statement that the raid in Jenin was to “arrest suspects.”
The raid triggered “massive fire” by local militants at the Israeli troops, who responded with fire, the military said, adding that “hits were confirmed.”
Meanwhile, clashes also broke out in the Askar Refugee Camp east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus when an Israeli army force stormed the camp to arrest Palestinians, Palestinian security sources said.
The clashes in the northern West Bank cities came amid growing tension between Israel and the Palestinians that has been flaring in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since early January.
Palestinian and Israeli figures showed that since then, more than 120 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers and 19 Israelis were killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians.
