Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians in West Bank; run rampant raids
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Representational.
Ramallah: During a raid conducted by the Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, they killed three Palestinians early on Thursday, Associated Press reported citing the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The Israeli forces claimed that they were conducting an arrest rain in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank when they were attacked through gunfire. They reciprocated, they claim.
Jenin and the refugee camp next to it are strongholds for Palestinian militants, which could be why Israeli forces have increased raids in these areas in recent months.
Palestine's official news agency Wafa reported that "confrontations and violent clashes" erupted between residents of Jenin and the Israeli forces. However, the country's health ministry did not reveal the identities of the deceased people.
Photos surged on social media suggesting that some Palestinians were killed posing with rifles, while footage showed an ambulance getting fired at in Jenin.
Palestinian front in the city called for a general strike to mourn the dead and show solidarity with their families.
On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian militant who opened fire at them near the West Bank settlement of Ofra.
More than 140 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli-Palestinian fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem this year, making 2022 the deadliest year since 2006.
The Israeli army says most of the Palestinians killed have been militants. But stone-throwing youths protesting Israeli army incursions and others not involved in confrontations have also been killed.
Israel has been conducting daily arrest raids throughout the West Bank, prompted by a spate of Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the spring.
The military says the raids are meant to dismantle militant networks and thwart future attacks, but the Palestinians say they entrench Israel's open-ended occupation, now in its 56th year.
At least 30 people have died in Palestinian attacks in Israel and the occupied West Bank this year.