Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in Nablus in the 'largest raid in twenty years'

Two Palestinian militants were killed by Israeli forces on Sunday, in the old town area of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, following an Israeli raid that was described by local residents as the largest and most violent in the city in twenty years.
 
A 22-year-old Mohammad Azizi and 29-year-old Aboud Suboh were killed, while six others were wounded, including one seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head, after a gunfight that lasted four hours in the old city of Nablus, with raiding Israeli forces.

Breaking|| Israeli occupation forces shot dead the two Palestinian young men Abboud Sobh, 29 years old, and Mohammed Al-Azizi, 22 years old, during a military raid into the old city of Nablus. pic.twitter.com/4U98efVN2T

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) July 24, 2022

"Israeli forces raided Nablus's old city before dawn and besieged a house were the two militants were staying”, Ameen Abu Wardeh, local journalist and resident of Nablus told The New Arab.
 
“After Israeli forces withdrew, the place looked as if it was hit by an earthquake”, said Abu Wardeh. “There were holes in the walls, caused by ground missiles fired by Israeli forces, phone and electricity cables were torn out of the walls, water tanks had exploded and bullet cartridges were everywhere on the ground,” he described.
 
“Residents of the old city came out by the thousands, looking for their relatives”, he added, “It was a scene we haven’t witnessed since the second Intifada, more than twenty years ago.

Photos show the trail of destruction left by Israeli occupation forces who targeted the home of the Palestinian family of Al-Azizi with a missile during a military raid into the occupied West Bank city of Nablus at dawn today. pic.twitter.com/Ev9cgQ03NZ

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) July 24, 2022

Israeli media quoted the Israeli border guard forces saying that border guards and the Israeli elite Yamam unit clashed with armed Palestinians for several hours, during which Israeli soldiers came under fire, and that explosive devices were thrown at them.

 
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid commented on the raid saying that the two gunmen had "recently carried out a string of shooting attacks”.
 
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the attack, noting that “Israel bares full responsibility for this crime”, and warning against “the dangerous consequences of the repetition of this type of crimes, which would not take place if the [Israeli] aggressors didn’t feel they enjoy impunity”

The moment when the Israeli occupation forces targeted the house of the Palestinian family of Al-Azizi with an anti-armor missile in Al-Yasmina neighborhood in Nablus. pic.twitter.com/eQkjQaZvao

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) July 24, 2022

The city of Nablus has been at the center of Israeli raids in recent months. In February, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian militants in an undercover attack inside Nablus city.
 
In late June, Israeli forces escorted Israeli settlers raiding  a religious site in the eastern part of Nablus, and clashed with Palestinian gunmen. One Israeli army officer and two Israeli settlers were injured, as well as dozens of Palestinians.

Several Palestinian civilians have also been killed or wounded in Israeli raids in Nablus since the beginning of the year.

There is a full blown military invasion happening in the old city of #Nablus. Local journalists are unable to cover with reports of Israeli snipers on buildings; live ammunition & stun grenades being fired excessively.

almost 3:00 AM. Entire families being terrorized pic.twitter.com/ondlPYQcAy

— Mariam Barghouti مريم البرغوثي (@MariamBarghouti) July 23, 2022

The number of wanted gunmen on the run in Nablus has increased”, said Abu Wardeh. “Some of them came out after Sunday’s raid with their faces uncovered, in a show of defiance, which indicates that more escalation might be on the way,” he added.
 
The two militants were given a mass funeral in Nablus, with thousands chanting slogans, and dozens of gunmen firing shots into the air.
 
A general strike was declared in Nablus for the day, with businesses and institutions closing as a sign of mourning.