Palestinian boy walking past graffiti of Palestinian (L) and Hamas' (R) flags Three Palestinians were killed in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank early Saturday after Israeli soldiers launched an operation to arrest a militant, Palestinian officials said. Medical and security sources said two of the fatalities were militants and the third was a civilian. They said 14 Palestinians were also wounded, and two are in critical condition.
The Israeli army confirmed the incident, but said a total of four Palestinians were killed during the incident.
The Palestinian sources said Israeli soldiers entered the camp in the northern West Bank city to arrest Hamza Abu Alheja, 20, a member of the military wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
Fire was exchanged, and "other gunmen gathered around the house" to help Alheja, including Mohammad Abu Zena, 19, an Islamic Jihad militant who was killed along with Alheja, the medical and security sources said.
A civilian named as Yazan Jabarin was also killed during the fighting, the Palestinians said.
The Israeli military said its forces had been attempting to arrest Alheja, who was wanted for "shooting and bombing attacks as well as planning future attacks".
Alheja "barricaded himself with other operatives in his house", a statement read, before opening fire and wounding two Israeli security personnel who "responded with fire, killing the terrorist".
The army said that after Alheja was killed, a "violent riot" ensued at the scene, during which three further Palestinians were killed.
Source: AFP