Israeli Airstrike in Jenin Refugee Camp Kills Six, Including Teenager
At least six Palestinians, including a 15-year-old boy and three brothers, were killed in an Israeli drone strike on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday evening, Al Jazeera reports, citing Palestinian reports.
The attack, which reportedly involved three missiles fired by an Israeli drone at a group of people near a traffic roundabout, also injured several others.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the victims as including a 15-year-old boy and five other men aged between 23 and 34, among whom were three brothers. This tragic event comes just weeks after an earlier drone strike in the West Bank town of Tammun killed two Palestinian children and a 23-year-old from the same family, further escalating tensions in the region.
The airstrike occurred amidst a military operation by the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces in the Jenin camp targeting Palestinian resistance fighters. This PA operation has already resulted in over a dozen fatalities.
Anwar Rajab, spokesperson for the PA’s security forces, condemned the Israeli attack, stating it was a deliberate attempt to “disrupt efforts” by the authority to achieve security and stability in Jenin.
Hassan Khraisheh, the deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, sharply criticized the drone strike, accusing Israel of a willingness to kill Palestinians indiscriminately. He argued that the timing of the attack, during the PA’s operation, has fueled widespread anger and resentment among local residents.
Khraisheh urged the PA to withdraw from Jenin and join forces with other Palestinian groups in resisting the Israeli occupation. He emphasized the need for unity in the face of what he described as indiscriminate violence.
The airstrike has sparked outrage in the Jenin camp, with many Palestinians expressing anger and frustration at the perceived coordination between the PA security forces and the Israeli military operation.
