On 19 June 2023, Israeli soldiers and border police officers entered the Jenin refugee camp to arrest two wanted suspects. This resulted in clashes between Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin Brigades and Israeli soldiers. The clash had led to seven Palestinian deaths and upwards of 90 Palestinians wounded; 8 wounded Israeli soldiers. The incursion led to reprisals on both Israeli and Palestinian populations in the occupied West Bank.
| June 2023 Jenin incursion | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict | |||
| Date | 19 June 2023 | ||
| Location | Jenin Camp, West Bank | ||
| Parties | |||
| Units involved | |||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| |||
| 4 Palestinian civilians killed, including 2 children 90+ wounded[2] | |||
| Other incursion | |||
Raid
During the early morning of 19 June 2023, Israeli soldiers and border police officers entered into the Jenin refugee camp to arrest two wanted suspects. Clashes between Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin Brigades and Israeli soldiers broke out. Six Palestinians were killed ouright, and a seventh victim died in hospital. Three of the dead are known to have been militants.[4] At least 90 Palestinians were wounded, among whom 22 are in critical condition.[2][5][1] As the Israeli soldiers and border police officers were leaving the city, a roadside bomb was detonated under an Israeli armored vehicle, leaving 8 soldiers wounded, all of whom were successfully evacuated by helicopter. The level and strength of the improvised explosive device (IED) used by the Palestinian militants surprised the Israeli army, as it shows rapid improvement compared to previous poorly performing IEDs.[6]
Israel used helicopters in the incursion, the first time they had been deployed against Palestinian villages for two decades.[6] Israeli snipers reportedly shot at several Palestinian journalists, wearing press jackets, who were attempting to cover the unfolding incursion. One such journalist, Hazem Nasser working for as a cameraman for Al-Ghad TV, was shot and wounded.[7][8] The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that Israeli fire had targeted four Palestinian ambulances.[5] According to Haaretz, a 15 year old girl, Sadeel Turkman, was shot while inside her home.[9]
Several major Palestinian organisations such as Hamas and the PFLP praised the militants of Jenin.[10] The roadside bomb was claimed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.[2]
Aftermath
In response to the incursion,[11] 2 Palestinian militants, coming from Urif shot dead 4 Israelis near the Israeli settlement of Eli on 20 June 2023. One of the assailants was shot dead on the scene by an armed settler, the other was later killed by Israeli forces in Tubas.[12]
In response to the Eli shooting, on 21 June 2023, hundreds of Israeli settlers, armed and masked, attacked the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya in the occupied West Bank, setting at least 50 vehicles and 15 houses on fire. One Palestinian died and 12 others were wounded.[13] The village mayor remarked that "the Israeli army [was] not doing anything to stop" the violence.[14] The following day they attacked the village of Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya destroying vehicles, damaging 10 homes, vandalizing two shops, a gas station a wheat warehouse, and electricity poles.[15]
Fatalities
Palestinian civilian casualties:
Islamic Jihad casualties:
See also
References
- ^ a b Sawafta, Ali (19 June 2023). "Israeli troops, backed by helicopter, kill 5 Palestinians in clash". Reuters. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Greene, Kareem Khadder,Hadas Gold,Richard Allen (19 June 2023). "Huge firefight erupts as Israeli forces raid Jenin, leaving 5 Palestinians dead". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Armed clashes break out between IDF, Palestinians in West Bank". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Fabian, Emanuel (21 June 2023). "Teen Palestinian girl dies of wounds sustained in Jenin clashes between gunmen, IDF". Times of Israel. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Five Palestinians killed as Israeli forces raid West Bank camp". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel (19 June 2023). "5 Palestinians dead, 8 IDF troops hurt in Jenin battle; Apache carries out airstrikes". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Zion, Ilan Ben; Mohammed, Majdi (19 June 2023). "Fiercest fighting in years erupts in West Bank camp of Jenin, at least 5 Palestinians killed". AP NEWS. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Lynfield, Ben (19 June 2023). "Israeli forces launch helicopter raid on Jenin in occupied West Bank". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Lynfield, Ben (19 June 2023). "Israeli forces launch helicopter raid on Jenin in occupied West Bank". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "الفصائل الفلسطينية تنعى شهداء جنين وتوجّه التحية لمقاوميها الأبطال". الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين (in Arabic). 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ David Gritten, 'Palestinian gunmen near West Bank settlement,' BBC News 21 June 2023.
- ^ Tal, Elliott Gotkine; Kareem Khadder, Amir (20 June 2023). "At least four Israelis killed in West Bank shootings, authorities say". CNN. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Emanuel Fabian, 'Palestinian killed in unclear circumstances as settlers rampage in West Bank town,' Times of Israel 21 June 2023
- ^ Khadder, Kareem (21 June 2023). "Palestinian villagers attacked in wake of Israeli settler killings, Palestinian official says". CNN. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Oren Ziv, 'Palestinians pick up the pieces after settler pogrom in West Bank village,' +972 magazine 21 June 2023
- ^ "Sixth Palestinian dies after Israeli raid on Jenin refugee camp". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 June 2023.