Palestine denounces Israeli ‘crimes’ after 6 deaths by army fire

By Nour Abu Aisha and Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestinians on Wednesday condemned Israeli “crimes” in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, following the death of six people by army fire.

Four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Health Ministry said.

Another Palestinian lost his life during an overnight raid in the refugee camp of Aqabat Jabr near Jericho city. A Palestinian was also killed and 11 others were injured by Israeli fire during a protest near a border security fence between Gaza and Israel.

“The escalating crimes of the Israeli occupation…represent an official Israeli response to calls to revive the peace process in the region,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry accused Israel of “deliberately turning the Palestinian territories into a war zone.”

“Israel is using military solutions instead of political ones in dealing with the Palestinian people and sabotaging any international and regional efforts to achieve calm as a prelude to restoring the political horizon for resolving the conflict,” the statement said.

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the Palestinian statement.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

More than 230 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry. At least 35 Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, the highest toll since 2005.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi