Seven Israeli soldiers wounded after forces entered Jenin to arrest terror suspects ■ IDF forces were targeted by IEDs, army helicopters opened fire to evacuate Israeli forces for first time since second intifada ■ Ramallah reports 66 Palestinians wounded, one of them a 15-year-old girl in critical condition ■ IDF says clashes ongoing
Israeli security forces raided the West Bank city of Jenin on Monday and are currently exchanging fire with Palestinian militants. Seven Israel Defense Forces soldiers and border police officers were injured, as the Palestinian Health Ministry reported five Palestinians killed and 66 injured. Clashes are still ongoing.
The IDF forces entered Jenin to arrest suspects, including the son of a senior Hamas official in the West Bank, Jamal Abu al-Hija, who is imprisoned in Israel. A roadside bomb targeted Israeli military vehicles, prompting army helicopters to open fire in order to evacuate the Israeli forces.
Haaretz confirmed that Monday's deployment of helicopter gunships to the West Bank was the first time they had been sent there since the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said that five Palestinians were killed: Khaled Asasa, 21, Qassam Abu Sariya, 29, Ahmed Saqr, 15, and Kayis Jabarain, 21. The fifth casualty has yet to be identified.
Local residents also said that a 15-year-old girl was critically wounded when gunfire hit her house.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated on Monday morning that Israeli Special Operation Forces entered Jenin on Monday to arrest Palestinian suspects. During the operation, "massive exchanges of fire occurred, and improvised explosive devices were thrown at the forces who responded by firing."
Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said that hours after the initial firefight, the army had flooded the area with troops in order to extract personnel pinned down in five disabled vehicles at the scene, describing it as an “evacuation” operation.
“We’re bringing in heavy equipment to get these vehicles out,” Hecht told reporters.
The IDF has avoided utilizing helicopter gunships and attack drones in the West Bank for fear of escalating tensions and unwanted collateral damage. According to the IDF, the helicopter fired in a targeted manner towards an open area in order to carry out the Israeli forces' evacuation. The use of a helicopter gunship is highly unusual in evacuation operations.
A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Monday's incidents a "recurring massacre." He criticized the international community and the U.S. for their soft response and called on them to intervene immediately.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also is a minister in the Defense Ministry, tweeted that "the time has come to replace the 'tweezer activity' to a broad operation to eradicate terrorists' nests in northern Samaria, and to restore deterrence and security in the region." He also added that "the time has come to utilize air forces and armored forces," saying that he demands an urgent meeting of the governments' security cabinet.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said he is "extremely worried by the situation" in Jenin, describing the situation as an "apparent execution by Israeli forces."
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also condemned what it called Israel’s “continued escalation against the Palestinians,” saying it only further inflamed the situation and undermined efforts to reduce regional tensions.
Last week, an Israeli aged 30 and four IDF soldiers were wounded during a shooting near the northern West Bank settlement of Mevo Dotan on Tuesday afternoon. The shooters fired from a vehicle at an Israeli civilian's vehicle and an army vehicle carrying IDF soldiers. The forces were stationed at a military post near the Palestinian village of Ya'bad.
In addition, last week the Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that a 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by IDF fire, who raided the Balata refugee camp near Nablus to carry out arrests, promoting clashes. He was identified as 19-year-old Fares Hashash.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.