Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in a military attack in Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported.
At least 36 people were injured during the raid, including 30 from bullets and some seriously, the ministry added in a brief statement.
Adnane Baara, 72, and Mohamed Anboussi, 25, were killed “by occupation bullets” (Israel, editor’s note), the ministry writes.
The Israeli army had indicated shortly before 10:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. GMT) that it would conduct an operation in Nablus, without giving further details. Two hours later the soldiers were still there.
An AFP reporter in central Nablus saw Israeli soldiers fire tear gas canisters at young Palestinians, who threw stones at military vehicles and burned tires.
For almost a year, the Israeli Defense Forces have been stepping up what they have dubbed “counterterrorism” operations in search of “suspects” in the northern West Bank, particularly in the cities of Nablus and Jenin, strongholds of armed groups.
Since the beginning of the year, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed the lives of 51 Palestinians (including members of armed groups and civilians, including minors), nine Israeli civilians (including three minors) and one Ukrainian, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli and Palestinian sources .
“Preventing further violence is an urgent priority,” Tor Wennesland, UN Middle East Envoy, said on Monday.