Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinians in Jericho Monday who were “suspected of firing at a restaurant” in an illegal Israeli settlement – an incident in which no one had been injured. The raid comes after a weeklong Israeli siege of the city, and brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in 2023 to 43, including 8 minors.
reposted from IMEMC – the International Middle East Media Center, February 6, 2023
On Monday dawn, Israeli soldiers killed five Palestinians, including two siblings, injured many others, and abducted eight, in the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, south of Jericho, in the northeastern part of the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified them as Rafaat Wael Owidat, 21, Malik Awni Lafi, 22, Adham Majdi Owidat, 22, Ibrahim Wael Owidat, 27, Thaer Owidat, 28.
The Israeli army and the Israel Security Agency (Shabak) said they carried out a joint operation to capture Palestinian fighters in the refugee camp and exchanged fire with them.
The army added that its soldiers killed the five Palestinian fighters and stated it invaded the refugee camp to capture Hamas fighters suspected of firing at a restaurant in the illegal Vered Yeriho illegal colony on January 27.
It claimed the soldiers spotted one of the Palestinians suspected of involvement in the shooting before he fled while firing at them, leading to a pursuit ending at a building in a refugee camp where the fighters were hiding, resulting in an exchange of fire.
The Palestinian Health Ministry described the attack as a slaughter and said three of the wounded were not resistance fighters, including one who suffered life-threatening wounds.
The army took the corpses of the slain Palestinians after refusing to allow Palestinian medics to approach them.
The army has frequently been invading the refugee camp since January 27, leading to massive protests and exchanges of fire with Palestinian fighters and demolishing several homes and structures.
The army also said its soldiers arrested six Palestinians during the invasion, including two believed to be affiliated with the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
Palestinian sources have confirmed that the soldiers abducted eight Palestinians, including siblings, during the offensive and identified them as Shaker Amarna, Mohammad Riyad Oweidat, Abdul-Hafeth Wa’el Oweidat, Abdul-Hafeth Fakhr Oweidat, and his brother, Mohammad, Ehab Mohammad Hmeidat and his brother Ahmad.
The offensive in the refugee camp started earlier at dawn, Monday, when the soldiers shot three Palestinians with live fire and caused at least three to suffer the effects of tear gas inhalation.
Early Saturday morning, many armored Israeli military vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded Aqbat Jabr camp, shot thirteen Palestinians, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds, demolished four homes, and abducted at least five Palestinians, including a father and two of his sons.
Last Sunday night, undercover soldiers killed Ahmad and his brother Ehab Mohammad Hmeidat in a coffee shop at the main entrance of the refugee camp.
Early Saturday morning, many armored Israeli military vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded the refugee camp, shot thirteen Palestinians, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds, demolished four homes, and abducted at least five Palestinians, including a father and two of his sons.
Various armed resistance groups and political factions, including Al-Qassam Brigades, the National Resistance Committees, and the Popular Front for the Liberation Of Palestine (PFLP), issued statements mourning the slain Palestinian fighters and vowing retaliation and ongoing resistance until liberation.
Ismael Haniya, the head of the Political Bureau of the Hamas movement, said the resistance against the occupation will never cease until ending the illegal Israeli occupation and the liberation of Palestine, and added that the resistance fighters in Jericho “were heroes who fought with courage and determination.”
Haniyya added that the ongoing Israel crimes against the Palestinian people only lead to more determination and ongoing resistance.
For a complete list of Palestinians and Israelis killed since 2000, please visitIsrael-Palestine Timeline
NOTE: The entire West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967; all its official entrances and exits are controlled by Israeli soldiers, making its Palestinian inhabitants virtual prisoners. Many are families that were ethnically cleansed from Israel during Israel’s founding war (see this and this and this). Israeli forces often invade them; one example is here.
Israel was established in 1947 through a war of ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population, both Muslims and Christians, and it continues to steal other people’s land for illegal colonies known as ‘settlements.’ While Palestinians most often use nonviolent resistance, a small number use armed resistance against the invaders.
Thanks to the pro-Israel lobby in the US, Congress disburses over $20 million per day of Americans’ tax money directly to and/or on behalf of Israel.
OTHER RECENT ISRAELI VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS:
- Israel committed 3,532 human rights violations against Palestinians in January
- Israeli forces kill Palestinian father of newborn with a bullet to the chest
- 3 more Palestinians dead – one shot in the head for honking his horn
- Israel killed 29 in 26 days, fighters fire 2 rockets, Israel shells Gaza
OTHER NEWS ON THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE ISSUE:
- Sarah Margon can’t get confirmed for State Dept job because…Israel
- Israel advocates push ABA to adopt anti-Palestinian definition of antisemitism
- Israel’s conduct fosters antisemitism in the U.S., says Ken Roth
- Israeli government: stories you may have missed
VIDEOS:
