Palestinian Fighter Dies in Confrontation with Security Forces in West Bank
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Ramallah, Dec 15 (NationPress) One fighter was killed and several others were injured after Palestinian security forces engaged in clashes with armed Palestinian groups in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, according to a medical source who wished to remain anonymous.
On Saturday, Palestinian security forces surrounded the refugee camp following an incident on December 5, where militants linked to the ‘Jenin Brigade’ of the Islamic Jihad Movement and other factions took control of two vehicles belonging to the Palestinian Authority.
During the violent encounters between militants in the camp and the Palestinian security forces, one militant was reported killed by gunfire from the security personnel, while several others sustained injuries. Additionally, five members of the Palestinian security forces were also reported injured, the source added.
Anwar Rajab, the spokesperson for the Palestinian security forces, confirmed that a campaign was initiated in Jenin to uphold public safety.
He stated that the operation is designed to reclaim the Jenin camp from the influence of individuals who have disrupted the daily lives of residents and denied them their right to access public services freely and securely.
The militant group Hamas, which has been engaged in conflict with Israeli forces in Gaza for over a year, condemned the actions of the Palestinian Authority (PA) regarding the operation in Jenin, while its allied group, Islamic Jihad, called for a day of protests.
The medical source, who requested anonymity due to the delicate nature of the circumstances, reported that one deceased individual was transported to Jenin's Ibn Sina hospital on Saturday.
Additionally, numerous injured persons, including militants and PA personnel, were also taken to the hospital, according to the source.
Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 and maintains a presence in the West Bank, identified the deceased as Yazid Jaaysa, labeling him a 'resistance fighter.'
Jenin has become a center of conflict between Palestinian militant groups and the Israeli military in recent years. Since March 2022, Jenin and surrounding regions in the northern West Bank have witnessed increased Israeli raids following a series of Palestinian street attacks.
Tensions in Jenin escalated on December 5 after armed individuals commandeered two official PA vehicles and displayed flags of the Islamic Jihad group throughout the camp.
On Thursday, the PA acknowledged its involvement in the death of a 19-year-old man in Jenin three days prior.
The PA holds partial administrative authority in the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.
