Israeli Troops Kill 11 Palestinians in West Bank Raid

The Israeli raid in the West Bank

Israeli troops have killed 11 Palestinians, including a teenager, during a raid in the occupied West Bank in an incident that has the potential to ignite further violence in the region.

The Israeli military stated that the midday operation targeted three militants who were near the center of the historic city of Nablus. Together with the three wanted guys, seven others, including a 72-year-old man, were killed. According to Palestinian officials, at least 103 persons were hurt, with the majority suffering bullet wounds.

The raid was one of the largest of the previous year, during which an already explosive situation in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem deteriorated significantly. Seven Israelis were slain in an attack by Palestinian militants near an East Jerusalem synagogue that followed a similar raid in January.

Hussein al-Sheikh, a leading Palestinian official, condemned the raid as a “massacre” and demanded “international protection for our people” According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, a 66-year-old man who suffered from gas inhalation during the operation passed away in hospital Wednesday evening.

The violence occurs at a key juncture in relations between Israel and the Palestinians, as the new Israeli administration is dominated by ultranationalists who have vowed a tough stance against militants while also pressing for the construction of settlements in the West Bank.

Ned Price, a spokesperson for the US Department of State, stated at a regular press briefing that the United States acknowledged Israel’s security concerns, but was gravely troubled by the high number of wounded and civilian deaths.

Since the beginning of the year, 62 Palestinians have been slain in Israeli raids in Nablus and Jenin, according to Palestinian health officials. According to Israeli sources, 10 Israelis and a Ukrainian tourist were slain by Palestinians at the same moment.