This article has been updated to include the position of Prime minister Yair Lapid.
Jerusalem24 – Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinian men and injured at least another six according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health during an early morning raid in the old city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian MoH confirmed the killing of 25-year-old Mohammed Bashar Azizi who was struck by live ammunition in the chest, and 28-year-old Abdul Rahman Jamal Suleiman Sobh who was shot with live ammunition in the head.
A further two Palestinians sustained “critical” injuries to the head and back.
Israeli special forces (Yamam) infiltrated the old city, hidden in civilian merchandise trucks, while large numbers of reinforcements stormed the city from several entry points.
Armed confrontations broke out between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces which lasted for three hours.
Israeli forces admitted to using rockets during the storming, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, and videos shared on social media by Nablus residents capture the moments rockets were launched.
The raid left scenes of destruction in the old city. Nablus residents took to social media to share pictures and videos of burned cars, as well as the destroyed house where the two Palestinians were killed.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, today condemned the “Israeli crime” in Nablus, according to WAFA news agency.
The Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the PLO Hussein Al-Sheikh released a tweet condemning the attack.
Another crime committed by the occupation forces in the old city of #Nablus, where martyrs have fallen and many wounded, there was also destruction of homes and burning of property. We strongly condemn this crime, and we hold the occupation responsibility for its repercussions. https://t.co/AFKDScCcFi
— حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) July 24, 2022
Israeli Prime minister Yair Lapid commented on the operation this morning in a tweet “This government’s policy is firm: we will not sit back and wait for Israeli citizens to be harmed. We will go out and hit the terrorists at their house.”
כוחות צה”ל, שב״כ והימ״מ פשטו הלילה בשכם על בתי מסתור של מבוקשים. מדובר במחבלים, שביצעו לאחרונה שורה של פיגועי ירי. במהלך המבצע פתחו המחבלים באש מגגות וסמטאות הקסבה בשכם.
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) July 24, 2022
تغطية صحفية: “لحظة تسلل القوات الخاصة التابعة للاحتلال واقتحام البلدة القديمة في نابلس، فجر اليوم”. pic.twitter.com/2qCypZ336T
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 24, 2022
فيديو| تغطية صحفية: “مشاهد للمركبات التي احترقت وآثار الخراب الذي أحدثه جيش الاحتلال خلال اقتحام واسع للبلدة القديمة بنابلس فجر اليوم”. pic.twitter.com/hFE6UI4khW
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 24, 2022
فيديو| تغطية صحفية: “لحظة إطلاق قوات الاحتلال لصاروخ موجه تجاه منزل عائلة العزيزي المحاصر داخل البلدة القديمة بنابلس”. pic.twitter.com/NF7Z8ZiWk7
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 24, 2022
