Israel kills four Palestinians, wounds dozens in West Bank

WEST BANK: Four Palestinians have been killed and more than 40 others injured during an Israeli military raid on a refugee camp in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

At around 9am, the operation started when scores of Israeli military vehicles entered the camp (06:00 GMT).

Ahmad Alawneh (26), Abed Hazem (27), Muhammad al-Wanneh (30), and Mohammad Abu Naa’sah were the individuals killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which released the information on Wednesday morning.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade had said that three of the men killed were members of the Palestinian armed group, according to Qatari based channel Al-Jazeerah.

At least 44 others were injured, according to the ministry.

Clashes were still going on at noon. Young Palestinians threw rocks at the gate to the Jenin refugee camp, which Israeli soldiers replied to with live shot and tear gas. This was in addition to armed Palestinian fighters engaging the Israeli army in shooting.

Palestinians’ outrage was increased when images circulated online claimed to reveal that Alwaneh’s body had been desecrated, allegedly by an Israeli soldier.

Human rights organizations have referred to Israel’s routine demolition of Palestinians’ homes as “collective punishment” for their participation in attacks against Israelis.

Since the beginning of the year, Israeli troops have murdered more than 150 Palestinians in the 1967-occupied territories, including 51 during a three-day assault by Israel in August on the besieged Gaza Strip. Over 30 of those killed were from Jenin or died there in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.