Israeli troops kill two Palestinians, including minor, in Jericho raid
Israeli troops killed two Palestinians on Tuesday morning during a raid on Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, the Palestinian health ministry said.
Qusai al-Walaji, 16, and Mohammed Najum al-Omar, 25, were shot with live bullets after Israeli forces stormed the camp to violently raid a number of homes and detain residents.
Walaji and Omar were taken to Jericho Government Hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after.
"Two young men were rushed to the hospital with bullets in their chests," the hospital's director told Reuters.
Armed confrontations broke out between camp residents and Israeli forces during the raid, but it was not clear whether the two men were involved, residents told Reuters.
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Israeli forces detained a 20-year-old Palestinian during the operation, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Society in Jericho.
Aqbat Jabr is home to around 30,000 people, and is the largest refugee camp in the occupied West Bank in terms of surface area.
It was established in 1948 to house refugees who were displaced by the Nakba, or catastrophe, when 750,000 Palestinians were expelled to make way for the establishment of the State of Israel.
Latest raid on Aqbat Jabr camp
In recent months, the camp has been a regular target for Israeli military raids, despite Jericho being a tourist city less prone to Israeli violence compared to other parts of the West Bank.
In February, Israeli soldiers killed five members of the resistance group Aqbat Jabr Brigade during what was described as a "15-minute-raid".
Since then, a further four Palestinians have been killed in the camp by Israeli security forces, including two minors: 17-year-old Jibril Muhammad al-Lada'a and 15-year-old Mohamed Faiz Balhan.
Tuesday's raid brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the camp this year to 11.
Middle East Eye believes at least 212 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, including 37 children - a rate of nearly one fatality per day.
A total of 176 people have died in the West Bank and East Jerusalem this year, making 2023 one of the bloodiest years in the occupied Palestinian territories. Another 36 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinians have killed 26 Israelis in the same period, including six children.
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