2 Palestinians killed, dozens injured in clashes with Israeli forces in occupied West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Two Palestinians were killed and some 190 others injured by Israeli army forces in separate incidents early on Thursday in the occupied West Bank, according to local sources.

"Two young men were killed by occupation bullets near Tulkarm (city) in the northern West Bank," the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli army, for its part, said its forces shot two Palestinians at the entrance of the village of Shufa in the Tulkarm region.

"Forces from the Golani Brigade ... near the village of Shufa, neutralized two gunmen who had earlier opened fire at an Israeli vehicle," the army said in a statement.

Speaking to Anadolu, eyewitnesses claimed that security forces prevented medics from reaching the two Palestinians.

In a related development, the Israeli army launched an hour-long raid on the Tulkarm refugee camp before leaving the area, according to eyewitnesses.

Armed clashes were reported between the Israeli army and Palestinians at the camp.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement that its staff had dealt with 190 injuries in clashes that took place in the Balata refugee camp, east of the Nablus city.

Among those injured were three people shot with live ammunition, while others had been wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets and gas canisters, which affected others who inhaled the tear gas.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that a large Israeli military force stormed the flashpoint site of Joseph's Tomb in Nablus to secure entry to the area for settlers to perform Talmudic prayers.

The forces also raided the Balata camp near the tomb area, accompanied by a bulldozer, triggering clashes with Palestinians at the camp and gunmen near the tomb site.

For months, the West Bank has witnessed a severe escalation as a result of the Israeli army's incursions into Palestinian cities and towns, as well as settlers' assaults on Palestinians.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara