Israeli military fire on vehicle with three armed occupants in Jenin city
Three Palestinians were killed in combat with the Israeli Defence Forces in the early hours of 17 June in the northern West Bank Palestinian city of Jenin. The deaths were officially reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had shot down three armed assailants.
According to the IDF statement, during the night of 16-17 June, operatives from the reconnaissance group of the 1st Golani infantry brigade entered the city of Jenin to carry out a raid in search of military equipment held by Palestinian terrorist groups. According to the IDF, the Golani operatives were assaulted by armed individuals. Under fire from assault rifles and explosives, the IDF command reports that its operatives opened fire in response. Subsequently, a vehicle with three armed men reportedly intercepted the Israeli reconnaissance convoy, opening fire on the latter.
In addition, armed assailants inside a vehicle shot at the soldiers, who responded with live fire to neutralize the assailants.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 17, 2022
After the exchange of fire, we located these two M-16 rifles, a “Carlo” submachine gun, loaded magazines & a military vest inside the vehicle. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/XYSZvu1zaP
After an exchange of fire, Golani soldiers neutralised the crew of the vehicle, a white Mazda passenger car. The IDF said that military equipment was found in the assailants' vehicle. A bulletproof vest, two M-16 rifles, a Carlos submachine gun and ammunition for all three weapons.
Videos posted on social media by Palestinian residents of the city of Jenin corroborate how, as the convoy of Israeli forces passes through the streets of the city, numerous small arms fire bursts from buildings at the reconnaissance patrol vehicles.
شاهد| مقاومون يطلقون النار تجاه آليات الاحتلال التي تقتحم الحي الشرقي لمخيم جنين pic.twitter.com/N8N7Nsqdv0
— حسن اصليح | Hassan (@hassaneslayeh) June 17, 2022
The media outlet PalTimes has made public the identity of the three individuals killed during the fighting. They are Baraa Lahlouh, Laith Abu Srour and Yousef Salah, aged 22, 23 and 20 respectively. Some of the photographs that have emerged show some of the three dead carrying assault rifles similar to those seized by the IDF. The Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas has confirmed that one of the three young men, Lahlouh, was a member of its armed wing. According to The Times of Israel, the membership of the other two Palestinians in an armed group has not been confirmed, but sympathies and involvement with armed organisations in the West Bank territory can be inferred.
The population of Jenin has said a mass farewell to the three young men. According to local media, a large group of people gathered in front of the city's morgue to protest the deaths of the three boys. According to what can be read in PalTimes as well as through the social network twitter, the Palestinians, grieving over the death of three of their own, have granted Baraa Lahlouh, Laith Abu Srour and Yousef Salah the status of martyrs. Thanks to these Palestinian media, it has also been possible to learn of the testament that Baraa Lalouh carried with him at the time of his death, in which he entrusted his "fellow mujahideen" to complete the path of jihad and protect the blessed site of Al-Aqsa.
#صور | وداع حزين لشهداء #جنين الثلاثة الذين اغتالهم الاحتلال فجر اليوم داخل سيارتهم. pic.twitter.com/kqtYmwwRBT
— فلسطين الآن (@paltimes2015) June 17, 2022
For its part, the Hamas organisation, and its armed wing, has mourned the death of its "martyrs", and threatened that this "assault" on the city of Jenin will not go unpunished.
The Israel Defence Forces have increased their incursions into Jenin city considerably so far in 2022. While observers report that they have withdrawn substantially from other parts of the West Bank, the north remains the scene of military operations that often result in deaths on both sides. It was in Jenin that Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh died on 11 May in circumstances that are still under investigation.
The IDF defends and justifies its operations in Jenin as a "hot spot" for Palestinian terrorist organisations. An infographic produced by the IDF after the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh points out that of the seven terrorist attacks that have taken place in Israel since 21 March, three of them were carried out by cells from Jenin. Therefore, the IDF claims to conduct operations in Jenin with the aim of preventing terrorist violence in which the civilian population would never be targeted.
