At least six Palestinians were killed and close to two dozen were wounded after Israeli occupation forces opened fire at different locations in the occupied West Bank during early morning raids on Tuesday, October 25.
According to several eyewitnesses, Israeli forces stormed the old city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank at around 1 am on Tuesday. Its snipers occupied the rooftops of buildings surrounding the Nablus city center and fired at people. They also used drones and shoulder held missile launchers to target Palestinians. Five Palestinians were killed. They were identified as Hamdi Mohamed Sharaf (35), Hamdi Sobeh Ramzi (30), Wadih Sobeih Houh (31), Ali Khaled Antar (26), and Mishal Baghdadi (27).
Another Palestinian youth, Qusay al-Tamimi, was killed near Ramallah in a similar military operations, according to Wafa news agency.
The six Palestinians killed by the lsraeli occupation forces last night. pic.twitter.com/fiOiUVY1pZ
— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 25, 2022
Various protest demonstrations were organized throughout the occupied territories against the attack in Nablus once news of the killings became known. Palestinians also observed a general strike across the West Bank. Thousands of people participated in the funeral procession which was organized later in the day.
Media coverage| Thousands of mourners take part in the funeral of five Palestinians killed by the Israeli occupation's aggression on Nablus last night, including resistance fighter Wadee El-Houh, a senior member of the Lions Den organization. pic.twitter.com/4M0GLfZcQU
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 25, 2022
The Israeli security forces claimed that “a joint force of IDF soldiers, Shin Bet security service agents and anti-terror forces raided a hideaway in Nablus’s old city that was being used as bomb workshop by central members of Lion’s Den,” Times of Israel reported.
Israel has cordoned off the city premises for a week now, claiming to be searching for members of the so-called Lion’s Den which it holds responsible for the recent attacks against Israeli security forces.
A similar blockade was imposed on the Shuafat refugee camp earlier this month. Over 100,000 Palestinians were caged inside for days as Israeli search operations continued. They were denied even basic services like access to medical facilities outside.
Deadliest year for Palestinians since 2006
Israel has been carrying out raids throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since the beginning of the year citing a rise in Palestinian armed resistance. The raids, often carried out late in the night, have been opposed by Palestinians. Israeli forces have often opened fire at Palestinians protesting the raids.
According to Lucia Elmi, UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories, 2022 is already the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2006. At least 105 Palestinians were killed in the first 10 months of 2022 before Tuesday’s killings.
According to Times of Israel, the death toll among Palestinians this year stands above 120 and more than 2,000 Palestinians have been arrested in Israeli raids so far.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denounced the Israeli aggression in Nablus on Tuesday and asked for an immediate end to the Israeli attacks. It also called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to start an investigation in the matter.
Nabil Abu Rudeinah, spokesperson of the Palestinian Authority’s president, called the attack in Nablus a war crime and claimed that Palestinians are “facing an apartheid state.” He emphasized that the “international community, mainly the US, should stop the double standard approach when it comes to dealing with Israel.”
