Israel steps up wave of raids across the occupied West Bank

Several Palestinians were injured during dawn raids across the West Bank on Saturday, as the Israeli army attacked Palestinian resistance fighters in refugee camps around Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarem. 

One Palestinian was seriously injured by an Israeli bullet to the hand in Jenin and taken to the Ibn Sina hospital - where his condition was described by health officials as "stable".

Israeli forces began the day by raiding the house of former prisoner Abed Radwan Abu Taima and several others across the occupied territories, leading to armed confrontations with Palestinian resistance factions. 

The Jenin Brigade, a military branch of the organisation Islamic Jihad, said they deterred an operation by the Israeli military on the outskirts of the refugee camp, repelling soldiers with live fire and homemade explosives. 

“In a failed attempt this morning, Israeli forces tried to draw out our fighters and lure them into traps - but we were wise to their plans and were able to strike back with live rounds and hand grenades on a number of axes,” said the Jenin Brigade. 

“We believe Israeli soldiers were directly injured in the confrontations,” continued their press statement, saying that “the Israeli army was forced into retreat”. 

Simultaneous attacks in Nablus and Tulkarem resulted in several injuries and arrests - including the brother of slain fighter 

In Nablus, hospital staff reported several cases of tear gas complications throughout Saturday. 

The raids continue a pattern of violence that has been unfolding throughout the week as Israel seeks out Palestinian resistance fighters who they believe have targeted illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands. 

Nablus is a war zone tonight https://t.co/HodxW45heE pic.twitter.com/AvFTUN5qPB

— Younis | يونس (@ytirawi) June 14, 2023

At dawn on Tuesday, a Palestinian teenager was killed in Balata refugee camp while Israeli forces raided Nablus and began preparing an apartment belonging to a Palestinian man behind an April attack that killed three Israeli settlers for its demolition.

They also stormed the Askar camp east of Nablus, the Aqabat Jabr camp in Jericho and the city of Jenin, where it carried out arrests.

Israeli forces have carried out near-daily raids and attacks in the West Bank for over a year.

More than 160 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip since the beginning of this year.