Bloody Monday in Jenin: Five killed as Israeli forces raid refugee camp

June 19, 2023 - 21:21

Israeli forces have raided the Jenin refugee camp, killing five Palestinians and wounding at least 91. One of the Palestinians killed is a minor.

Israeli forces have raided the Jenin refugee camp, killing five Palestinians and wounding at least 91. One of the Palestinians killed is a minor.

Bloody Monday in Jenin: Five killed as Israeli forces raid refugee camp

The raid began early Monday morning, with Israeli soldiers storming the camp, firing live ammunition, stun grenades and toxic gas, according to Wafa news agency.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has identified four of the victims as Khaled Darwish, 21; Qassam Sariya, 19; Ahmed Saqr, 15; and Qassam Faisal Abu Sariya, 29.

The Israeli military has said the raid was to arrest two suspects, adding that Israeli soldiers came under fire which resulted in a “massive exchange of fire”.

The Israeli military has said it used helicopters to shoot at alleged gunmen in Jenin.

Nibal Farsakh, an information officer at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), says four ambulances have been directly targeted by Israeli forces in Jenin.

“It was such a hard day for all Palestinians and for our medical teams who work on the ground,” Farsakh told Al Jazeera from Ramallah.

“Israeli occupation forces attacked four PRCS ambulances as they conducted their duty in Jenin,” she said.

They were “directly targeted with live ammunition, causing material damage to the structure and the glass of the ambulances themselves,” Farsakh added.

Bloody Monday in Jenin: Five killed as Israeli forces raid refugee camp

“One of the ambulances was also hit by a military vehicle before it was shot by the occupation forces,” she said, adding that it was “taken out of service due to the attack”.

According to Farsakh, medical teams were first denied access and eventually arrived late to treat those who were injured at the scene. Some were “in a very severe condition” and needed urgent medical assistance.

Palestinian officials also said a journalist, Hazem Nasser, has been wounded by Israeli gunfire during the raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Nasser, who was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, said soldiers shot at him as he took cover.

Islamic countries condemn the raid

Jordan’s foreign ministry has condemned Israel’s raid on Jenin, warning of an ongoing “cycle of violence”.

Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali stressed the need to halt Israel’s “continuous incursions” into Palestinian cities, protect them from repeated attacks, and stop escalations that constitute a “violation of international humanitarian law and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power”.

Bloody Monday in Jenin: Five killed as Israeli forces raid refugee camp

He affirmed his country’s rejection of these attacks and the “unilateral measures that undermine efforts to reduce escalation”.

He further stressed the need for the international community to “act immediately and effectively” to stop Israeli aggression and to provide the Palestinian people in the occupied territories with protection.

Iran’s foreign ministry also called the killings “criminal”, warning that Israel has intensified its atrocious acts in recent months, including the Monday raid.

Bloody Monday in Jenin: Five killed as Israeli forces raid refugee camp

“Mass murder of Palestinians, including children, women, and seniors, in addition to destroying their properties, is a clear example of organized crime and state terrorism,” spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a short statement, calling on international stakeholders to intervene and stop Israeli attacks.

The reaction comes as a delegation led by PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhaleh arrived in Tehran earlier this week and held talks with top officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while a Hamas delegation led by political chief Ismail Haniyeh landed in the Iranian capital Sunday night.
 

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