Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian teenagers in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, as the army confirmed it “neutralized” two attackers who fired at soldiers.
The incident, after numerous deaths during an Israeli raid further north in the Palestinian territory, added to a two-year surge of violence in the West Bank that has accelerated since the war in Gaza began on October 7.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said that the deaths of the two Palestinians were “caused by occupation (Israeli army) bullets.”
It identified the two as Muhammad Majid Musa Jabareen, 19, and Musa Mahmud Musa Jabareen, 18.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the latest incident occurred at the entrance to the village of Beit Einun near the city of Hebron.
Following the incident, troops stormed Beit Einun and raided several homes, the agency reported.
The military said that two assailants attempted to stab and shoot troops near the village.
“One of the terrorists attempted to stab IDF (Israeli army) soldiers that were in the area, who responded with live fire and neutralized him,” the military said in a statement.
“At the same time, the other terrorist opened fire at the soldiers,” the army said, adding he too was “neutralized.”
In a separate incident on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces shot dead Palestinian woman Labiba Faza Sidqi Ghannam, 43, at the Hamra checkpoint.
Israel’s military said “the terrorist … attempted to stab IDF soldiers who were at the post”.
“The soldiers responded with fire and she was neutralised.”
Israel has carried out near daily raids in the West Bank in what it says is a bid to thwart militant groups.
At least 14 people were killed this week in an Israeli raid on Nur Shams camp in the northern West Bank, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
With AFP
