At least six dead as Israeli forces raid Jenin refugee camp in West Bank

Israeli forces raided a refugee camp in the West Bank town of Jenin on Tuesday, killing six people, including a Palestinian suspected of shooting two brothers from a Jewish settlement near the village of Huwara last week.

“Mohammad Wael Ghazzawi, 26, was killed by occupation [Israeli] bullets to the chest in Jenin,” the Palestinian health ministry said.

Earlier, the Israeli military said its forces were carrying out a raid in the Jenin refugee camp but gave no details about the target of the operation.

Videos on social media show what are thought to be Israeli special forces vehicles entering the area.

The Palestinian health ministry said at least 11 people were wounded in the raid.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that Israeli forces had fired a rocket at a house at the camp and that smoke was rising over the site.

Militant group the Jenin Brigade said their fighters had exchanged gunfire with Israeli soldiers.

Israeli army sources have told local media that a number of Palestinians have been killed, including a man wanted for the murder of two Israelis last week.

The attack is the latest instance of fighting in the West Bank following a deadly rampage by Israeli settlers a little more than a week ago in the town of Huwara, outside Nablus.

During the attack, hundreds of Israelis set fire to Palestinian homes and businesses, resulting in the death of one Palestinian and about a dozen injuries.

On Monday, four Palestinians, including a child, were attacked by settlers in Huwara.

Israeli army and border police forces dispersed crowds of what the military described as “a number of violent rioters” in Huwara, with videos shared on social media showing a group of black-clad youths attacking a car before the driver manages to pull away.

“My wife was sitting in the back and she hugged our daughter to cover her,” Omar Khalifa, who had just finished shopping at a supermarket and had got into the car with his family when the assault took place, told Reuters.

“We could have lost her — there was real danger to our lives.”

Other footage appeared to show Israeli soldiers dancing together with Jewish settlers in the town on what was the Jewish festival of Purim.

“Huwara has been conquered, gentlemen!” a voice can be heard saying in Hebrew.

The military did not address a question about the footage when it responded to a request for information on the incident, nor did it immediately respond to a Reuters query on whether there had been any arrests.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated calls overnight for both sides to de-escalate tension in the West Bank. The violence is also expected to be raised by Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin when he visits the region this week.