Israel kills 2 Palestinian gunmen in new West Financial institution violence

JERUSALEM — The Israeli navy mentioned it killed two Palestinian gunmen who fired on troops within the occupied West Financial institution early on Wednesday, the newest in near-daily violence roiling the area.

The capturing got here as tensions are at a fever pitch following a sequence of Israeli airstrikes within the Gaza Strip that killed three senior Islamic Jihad militants and 10 others — most of them ladies and kids — on Tuesday. Palestinian militants have pledged to retaliate and Israel says it’s ready for an additional escalation of hostilities.

The Israeli navy has instructed residents of southern Israel to stay close to bomb shelters, and colleges had been nonetheless closed for a second day as a precaution in opposition to assaults by Palestinian militant teams within the Gaza Strip.

Within the West Financial institution, the navy mentioned that Palestinian gunmen opened hearth at troops within the Palestinian city of Qabatiya within the northern West Financial institution throughout a military raid. Troops returned hearth, killing the 2 males, and confiscated their firearms, it mentioned.

The Palestinian Well being Ministry recognized the slain males as Ahmed Assaf, 19, and Rani Qatanat, 24. No militant group instantly claimed the boys as its members.

Israel has been conducting near-daily raids for over a yr to detain suspected Palestinian militants, together with many from Islamic Jihad. The northern West Financial institution metropolis of Jenin and its environs have been the frequent goal of such raids because it has emerged as a hub of Palestinian militant exercise.

Israel says the raids within the West Financial institution are supposed to dismantle militant networks and thwart future assaults.

A minimum of 107 Palestinians, round half of them militants, have been killed by Israeli hearth within the occupied West Financial institution for the reason that begin of 2023, in response to an Related Press tally. A minimum of 20 folks have been killed in Palestinian assaults concentrating on Israelis.

Israel captured the West Financial institution within the 1967 conflict and the Palestinians search the territory, together with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for a future impartial state.