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Clashes kill two in separate West Bank incidents | Clashes kill two in separate West Bank incidents |
(about 1 hour later) | |
JERUSALEM — A sudden surge in violence has left two dead over two days in the West Bank, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier struck by a rock Tuesday in the village of Yabad and a 15-year-old Palestinian who was shot during unrest early Wednesday in the Fuwar refugee camp, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. | |
The clashes come as Israel prepares to swear in a new government Thursday, and amid rising tensions as the country moves ahead with possible plans to formally annex dozens of Jewish settlements built in the West Bank over the last decades. | The clashes come as Israel prepares to swear in a new government Thursday, and amid rising tensions as the country moves ahead with possible plans to formally annex dozens of Jewish settlements built in the West Bank over the last decades. |
Palestinian officials, including members of Hamas, the ruling militant group in the Gaza Strip, have warned that the action could spark an increase of violence in the contested territories, where clashes have been relatively rare in recent months. | |
Israel’s Netanyahu, armed with a new mandate, sets his sights on West Bank annexation | Israel’s Netanyahu, armed with a new mandate, sets his sights on West Bank annexation |
Both deaths followed operations to arrest individuals suspected of incidents of rock throwing and other attacks against Israeli citizens, according to reports. | |
Israeli soldiers entered the Fuwar camp early Wednesday searching for individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist attacks, according to an army statement. Witnesses told local media outlets that the soldiers were hidden in a van, sparking a confrontation with young residents when they emerged. The Israel Defense Forces reported that the soldiers were attacked with rocks and firebombs and responded with live fire. | |
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Heath, Zaid Qaisia was shot in the head and killed at the scene. Two other Palestinians were wounded, the ministry said. The IDF, which said one soldier received minor injuries from a thrown rock, did not confirm the fatality. | According to the Palestinian Ministry of Heath, Zaid Qaisia was shot in the head and killed at the scene. Two other Palestinians were wounded, the ministry said. The IDF, which said one soldier received minor injuries from a thrown rock, did not confirm the fatality. |
“We are aware of a report regarding a Palestinian casualty and a number of injured Palestinians,” the army said in a statement. | “We are aware of a report regarding a Palestinian casualty and a number of injured Palestinians,” the army said in a statement. |
Fuwar, a long-established refugee camp south of Hebron, houses some 9,500 people, according the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). It has been known for tensions between young residents and a nearby Israeli military facility, according to the UNRWA website, and a minor was killed during such a clash in 2014. | |
The nighttime operation was the second in two days and followed the fatal clash early Tuesday in the northern West Bank village of Yabad. | |
An IDF unit entered the village in pursuit of four suspects from a previous attack on Israelis. A rock dropped from a rooftop struck Sgt. 1st Class Amit Ben-Ygal in the head as the team was preparing to leave, according to an army statement. | |
He was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a hospital in Haifa. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the attack. | |
Ben-Ygal was the first military casualty of the year, the army said. | Ben-Ygal was the first military casualty of the year, the army said. |
Soldiers mounted a wide-ranging manhunt in the village, and multiple individuals were detained. The IDF said more than 10 suspects were taken for further questioning and that the search would continue. | |
“We are investigating the events to understand what happened and who did it,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an IDF spokesman. “We will not rest or stop until those responsible are apprehended.” | |
Isolated protests were reported in several West Bank communities through the day as the IDF operations continued. Some of the clashes were violent, including a riot that was dispersed with rubber bullets and tear gas in Yabad. | Isolated protests were reported in several West Bank communities through the day as the IDF operations continued. Some of the clashes were violent, including a riot that was dispersed with rubber bullets and tear gas in Yabad. |
At least six residents were injured in the clashes, according to media reports. A Palestinian man was wounded in an alleged knife attack on soldiers at a separate checkpoint. | |
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