UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM ISRAELI ARMY
By Qais Abu Samra
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army on Tuesday killed four Palestinians near the city of Qalqilya in the occupied northern West Bank.
The Palestinian official news agency Wafa said the four Palestinians were “shot dead during confrontations” that erupted as Israeli forces stormed the town of Azzun.
Witnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli army withdrew from the town after clashing with the Palestinians for a few hours.
The Israeli army also raided and searched several homes and shops in the town, the witnesses added.
Several Palestinians were also injured and arrested from a building in Azzun.
The Israeli army admitted killing the four Palestinians in Azzun and said they “opened fire and threw explosives at troops.”
It added that one Israeli soldier was moderately injured in the clashes in Azzun, and was evacuated to hospital for treatment.
Tensions have been high across the West Bank since fighting broke out in Gaza on Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 324 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7, with over 3,400 others injured.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar