Israeli forces have raided the Jenin refugee camp, killing four Palestinians and wounding at least 45.
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.
One of the Palestinians killed is a child.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has identified the victims as Ahmed Saqr, 15, Qais Jabarin, 21, Khaled Azzam, 21, and Qassam Abu Sariya, 29.
The Israeli military said the raid was to arrest two suspects and that Israeli soldiers came under fire which resulted in a “massive exchange of fire”.
One of the suspects they were after was “the son of an imprisoned Hamas leader”, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said from West Jerusalem.
As the Israeli military vehicles were exiting the camp, the army’s statement said, “a military vehicle was hit by an explosive device, damaging the vehicle”, after which military helicopters shot towards the gunmen to help the forces exit.
Video footage verified by the Sanad agency showed an Israeli helicopter launching a rocket on the camp and surveillance aircraft hovering above.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, has publicly called for “a large-scale operation across the [occupied] West Bank”, adding that “the time had come”.
Source : Al Jazeera
