Israeli forces fatally shoot Palestinian students, teacher, and doctor during Jenin operation

Israeli forces carried out a deadly assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of seven Palestinians, including students, a teacher, and a doctor, and leaving 19 others wounded, two in critical condition. The attack, which took place on Tuesday, sparked outrage and condemnation from Palestinian officials and human rights organizations.

The assault began when an undercover unit of Israeli special forces was discovered in the Jenin refugee camp, followed by a military incursion into the area. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces were shooting indiscriminately at any Palestinian in their vicinity, including those in cars and families trying to pick up their children from school, which had been cancelled due to the raid.

Tragically, two teenage boys, Osama Abu Hajeer and Mahmoud Hamadneh, were killed as they were leaving their school. One of them was shot while riding a bicycle, according to local reports. Additionally, Allam Jaradat, a 48-year-old teacher, was shot dead in his vehicle as he attempted to leave the city. The senseless violence continued as Dr. Osaid Jabarin, a respected surgeon and lecturer, was fatally shot by Israeli forces outside the hospital where he worked.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that the Israeli army targeted everything that moved on the ground, preventing ambulances from reaching the injured and causing chaos and destruction in the city. Medical teams were blocked from reaching wounded individuals, leading to preventable deaths. The situation in Jenin was described as catastrophic, with injured individuals lying in the alleys of the camp without access to medical assistance.

In addition to the loss of life, Israeli forces also engaged in destructive behavior, using bulldozers to raze roads and vandalize infrastructure, including water pipes and sewage networks. The soldiers demolished the family home of a deceased member of the Islamic Jihad armed wing, further escalating tensions in the area.

The raid in Jenin drew swift condemnation from Palestinian officials, with the Palestinian Authority warning of the dangers of the ongoing Israeli aggression. Hamas described the attack as a “massacre” and a desperate attempt to suppress Palestinian resistance to the occupation. The Israeli military, in a brief statement, confirmed the operation in Jenin but provided no further details.

The assault in Jenin is part of a broader escalation of violence by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including children, in recent months. The continued aggression in the West Bank coincides with the ongoing siege and violence in the Gaza Strip, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

As the international community condemns the violence and calls for accountability, the people of Palestine continue to endure the devastating impact of the conflict, with no end in sight to their suffering and loss.