22 Palestinians injured as Israeli forces fire live bullets, tear gas in raid on Bethlehem in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The Israeli army on Thursday evening raided Bethlehem city in the southern occupied West Bank, triggering clashes with Palestinians.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that its medical teams treated 22 Palestinians, two of whom were injured by live bullets, while the remaining suffered asphyxiation from Israeli forces tear gas.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that dozens of Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces in Bethlehem, who used live and rubber-coated bullets as well as tear gas canisters to disperse them.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

More than 400 Palestinians from the West Bank have been killed by the Israeli forces and settlers since Oct. 7, in addition to over 4,440 others injured.

For the first time since its creation in 1948, Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, the highest judicial body of the United Nations, over its Gaza war.

An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​