Israeli forces kill six Palestinians in Jenin daytime raid
Middle East EyeMar 07, 2023
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Israeli Raid Into Jenin Kills 6 Palestinian Fighters, Allegedly Including Huwara Shooter
Last updated Mar 08, 2023
Image credit: Picture Alliance/Getty Images [via CNN]Facts
- An Israeli raid into a refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday killed at least six Palestinian gunmen, allegedly including a Hamas member suspected of killing two brothers from a Jewish settlement near the village of Huwara. Rocket fire from Gaza was reported on Wednesday, but the Israeli military said the rocket landed in Gaza.
- An Israeli police spokesperson said that three Israeli soldiers were in fair-to-serious condition after being shot and wounded in the resulting firefight.
- The Israeli military identified the alleged Huwara shooter as 49-year-old Abdul-Fattah Hussein Kharousha, with the Palestinian Ministry of Health identifying him as being among the six killed in Jenin. The ministry also reported that at least 11 others were injured in the raid.
- In addition to reports of heavy gunfire, videos on social media showed smoke billowing from a building and helicopters flying over a long line of military vehicles. The Israeli military said that, in its pursuit of Kharousha, its forces used shoulder-fired rockets.
- The situation in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel continues to deteriorate as violence worsens. The killing of the two brothers last month sparked a settler rampage in Huwara and other neighboring villages around the northern West Bank city of Nablus, exacerbating recent and simmering tensions.
Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel continues to aggravate an already deteriorating situation by launching deadly raids such as this one. Though all of those killed were fighters in the resistance, this does not excuse their unnecessary deaths, as they, as well as the three injured Israeli soldiers, would still be alive and healthy had the raid not occurred. As Israel cracks down on Palestinian resistance, settler violence is only becoming worse. Emboldened by international silence after killing more Palestinians last year than in any other calendar year since the Second Intifada, the occupation is becoming even more violent.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though it is, of course, tragic when civilians are harmed during anti-terror operations, the reality is they would still be alive if Palestinian terrorists chose not to hide among the civilian population. Kharousha launched attacks against civilians and could have gone quietly, but he chose violence. All of those killed alongside him were terrorists, which demonstrates Israel's restraint. Ultimately, the media will uncritically blame Israel, but the truth is that the deadliest thing for Palestinians is Palestinian terrorism.
