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Clashes in Qabatiya as Israeli forces raid West Bank town

Xinhua, February 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Clashes broke out on Thursday morning between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian youths in Qabatiya, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, eyewitnesses and medical sources said.

They said the clashes broke out after Israeli army forces, backed by jeeps and armored vehicles, stormed the town at dawn, announced it a close military zone, and launched a large security campaign of raiding residents' homes.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said in an emailed press statement said that five Palestinians were injured; four were shot by live ammunition and a 15-year-old boy was critically injured after an Israeli army jeep ran over him.

Residents said that around 50 armored vehicles and jeeps closed the entrances to the town and stormed the homes of three young men who were killed on Wednesday by Israeli police in the old city of east Jerusalem.

The three carried out an attack near Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem; one of them opened fire from a rifle, killing one female police officer and wounding another one, according to an Israeli police spokeswoman.

The spokeswoman said in a press statement that other police officers, who asked the three men to stop for searching their bags, opened fire and killed the three, adding that the police found with them homemade hand-grenades and knives.

Palestinian security sources in the West Bank said that the Israeli army detained dozens of Palestinians in northern West Bank, adding that the Israeli security campaign in the West Bank is tightening and the number of detainees will grow.

Residents of Qabatiya told Xinhua on the phone that Israeli army forces forced the families of the three young men to evacuate their homes, apparently to destroy houses.

The Israeli army raid on the town and closing it was made following a decision of the Israeli cabinet, which met after the attack in the old city and decided to tighten security measures in the West Bank.

The latest wave of violence, which broke out in early October, has left 169 Palestinians dead, most of whom were killed while carrying out or attempting stabbing and shooting attacks against Israelis.

In the meantime, 30 Israelis were killed and more than 350 injured in a series of shooting, stabbing and vehicle run-over attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel, including Jerusalem. Endit