A Palestinian doctor and an armed gunman were killed amid clashes with IDF soldiers operating in Jenin on Friday morning.
The doctor was identified by Palestinian media as 43-year-old Dr. Abdallah Abu al Teen. He was responsible for licensing at the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Palestinian reports initially reported that he was shot and killed by a sniper but later the Palestinian Health Ministry stated that he was in critical condition. He died in hospital from his wounds.
Israel unsure who shot Palestinian doctor down
There were conflicting reports about who may have shot him and the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that they were investigating the circumstances of the shooting and if he was hit by Palestinian or Israel fire. The military is also looking into the possibility that he had participated in the shooting and therefore targeted by the force.
The military stressed after the incident that "the presence of uninvolved civilians in a combat zone constitutes a real mortal danger."
مصادر محلية : اشــتباكات داخل مخيم جنين بعد اقتحامه من قبل الاحتلال pic.twitter.com/9bGZA6C0Zm
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) October 14, 2022
Shortly after his death, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades terror group claimed Abu Teen as a commander in the group and the Secretary of the Fatah Movement of Jenin Province, Atta Abu Armila, told the Palestinian Quds news agency that al Teen was killed while "fighting side by side with the resistance.”
The IDF said that during the operation, explosives were thrown and Palestinian gunmen opened heavy fire toward the forces who returned “accurate shots toward armed men identified in the area.”
IDF soldiers operate in Jenin, October 14, 2022 (Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The second Palestinian killed in the clashes was identified as Mateen Dabaya. Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that he was a member of the group.
At least six other Palestinians were injured during the clashes, including two Red Crescent medics. A video published by Palestinian media showed armed Palestinians firing near a Red Crescent ambulance.
מחנה הפליטים ג'נין הבוקר. pic.twitter.com/oVnJZNsR9A
— טל לב רם (@tallevram) October 14, 2022
Dia’ Salameh, a Hamas operative involved in recent shooting attacks, was arrested by the soldiers during the raid in Jenin, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. Salameh was caught with an M-16 firearm and was planning further terrorist attacks, according to the IDF.
Two other unnamed suspects were also arrested during the raid and a military vest and another M-16 were seized by soldiers.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the Israeli operation in Jenin, with PA Presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh saying that "Israel has crossed all red lines.”
He called on the US administration to intervene "to stop this Israeli craziness against the Palestinian people, their holy sites and their lands."
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh also condemned Israel for targeting medical teams, said that doctor was killed while carrying out humanitarian work to assist the injured and that the targeting of medical staff was a “dangerous development that requires urgent intervention by international human rights and humanitarian organizations.”
Hamas responded to the clashes on Friday morning, calling for further violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
"We affirm that the policy of criminality and trespassing on the blood of our people, pursued by the occupation, will not bring its alleged security to its entity, nor will it achieve stability or survival for its settlers on our land," said the Hamas movement in a statement.
The joint operations room of the Palestinian factions, which includes Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and other factions, announced that they would be holding a press conference concerning the rising tensions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem later on Friday evening.
Tensions rise in Jerusalem and the West Bank
The clashes come amid rising tensions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in recent weeks, including a series of shooting attacks carried out against Israelis in the West Bank.
Hundreds of reserve Border Police officers were deployed to Jerusalem and its perimeter on Friday after they were called up to help with the tensions.
"The reserve companies that were deployed this morning and other companies that are on standby reinforce the increased activity that the Border Police units carry out in the centers of disturbances and riots,” said Border Police chief Deputy Commissioner Amir Cohen. “The soldiers of the Border Police will continue to act with a heavy hand and use all advanced means against those who violate public order."
On Thursday, Cohen had ordered the call-up of 10 reserve companies and said that four would be immediately deployed to Jerusalem due to the violent rioting that took place in East Jerusalem neighborhoods following the closure of the Shuafat refugee camp.
The camp was closed by Israeli security forces after a deadly shooting attack claimed the life of 18-year-old Sgt. Noa Lazar and seriously injured a civilian guard at the Shuafat checkpoint.
Overnight Thursday, Muhammad Maher, one of the terrorists who carried out a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley last month, died due to wounds he sustained in the attack. An Israeli solider was seriously injured in the attack and several others were lightly wounded.