Five Palestinians were killed, including many gunmen, in a major Israeli raid on a militant group in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
According to Palestinian medical sources, a sixth Palestinian was killed by Israeli troops who’d been attacked with stones in protest of the raid.
The activity in Nablus’ northern city of Nablus was aimed at the newly established Lion’s Den group.
In a shooting earlier this month, the attack killed an Israeli soldier.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had been searching for the killer of 21-year-old Staff Sergeant Ido Baruch for the past two weeks. Sgt. Baruch was killed in a surprise attack near an Israeli settlement five miles (8 kilometers) away.
In recent weeks, there has been an increase in violence between Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank, as part of an ongoing Israeli operation to shell out militants having followed a wave of attacks.
Following nearly daily remand raids by Israeli forces targeting militants in the northern West Bank, the Lion’s Den group was formed.
The IDF said security personnel raided an apartment in Nablus’ casbah, which it claimed was used as a warhead factory as well as the group’s headquarters.
As young men poured into the streets, Palestinians called out over public address system for locals to come out now and defend the city.
Five Palestinians were killed in a gun battle between Israeli forces and Palestinians.
At least 3 of those killed have been recognized as militants, along with a senior commander as well as the Lion’s Den’s founder. According to the Palestinian health ministry, up to 20 Palestinians were injured in the clashes. There have been no reported Israeli casualties.
During the operation, Israeli troops blew up the apartment. According to local reports, an anti-tank missile was aimed at the building.
According to reports, a Palestinian was also killed in the southern town of Nabi Saleh when youths threw stones at Israeli troops in protest of the Nablus raid.
The raid was part of a larger, ongoing IDF operation called Break the Wave, which was launched after 17 Israelis as well as two Ukrainians were killed earlier this year by Palestinians & Israeli Arab attackers.
Also on Palestinian side, over 100 individuals have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since January, including militants, attackers, as well as civilians, making this year one of the deadliest for Palestinians since 2015.
