Palestinian gunmen near Nablus opened fire on Israeli soldiers near Nablus in the early hours of Friday morning, just after the Israeli military announced that the blockade on the Palestinian city was relaxed following gains against a local terror group.
The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry said two Palestinians were killed and a third injured as a result of Israeli fire.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that in the town of Huwara, just south of Nablus, a group of soldiers opened fire on two “suspicious” vehicles after a passing car at an IDF outpost in the town opened fire on separate troops.
The military said no soldiers were injured and hits were detected.
Palestinian health officials said Imad Abu Rashid, 47, was shot dead by Israeli forces in the head, chest and abdomen, and Remzi Sami Zabara, 35, was shot in the heart.
A third Palestinian was brought to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, where his condition is listed as stable.
The military said soldiers who opened fire on cars were in the area as part of routine operations that included ambushing Palestinian attackers.
According to the IDF, soldiers were searching the area for additional suspects and several empty cartridges were found at the scene.
01:00 ISF fired at vehicle https://t.co/aTM3PbguZR pic.twitter.com/7jmSIFb4y5
— Younis Tirawi -يونس الطيراوي (@ytirawi) October 27, 2022
A video posted on social media revealed that one of the vehicles that opened fire on Israel had several broken windows and bullet holes. A fleece is also seen on an armchair.
#شاهد احدى المركبات المستهدفة من قبل جيش الاحتلال على حاجز حوارة جنوب #نابلسو والتي أستشهد بها شاب وأصيب اخنين اخرين منهم إصابة خطيرة. pic.twitter.com/K7qLrDDfXd
— Newpress | نيو برس (@NewpressPs) October 27, 2022
The attack came about an hour after the Israeli military announced it would open a series of entrances to Nablus, which has been under a tight military cordon since October 12.
“Following the assessment of the situation … it has been decided to change the movement restriction method in the Nablus area and some entrances to the city will be opened tonight,” an IDF spokesperson said in a statement sent shortly after midnight.
It was not immediately clear whether the Huwara checkpoint was among those reopened.
The decision to ease the blockade on the city came after Israel made major gains against the terrorist group Lions Den in recent days. Formed less than two months ago, the ad hoc group claimed responsibility for midnight attacks on soldiers and settlements, including an October 11 shooting that killed a soldier.
Gunmen at the funeral of those killed in clashes that flared up with an overnight Israeli raid against the terrorist group Lion’s Den in Nablus, West Bank, on October 25, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP)
On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers raided a house used by the Lion’s Den in the old city of Nablus, killing the group’s apparent leader and four other gunmen and destroying a bomb factory. This comes a day after another high-ranking member was killed in an attack attributed to Israel.
At least four members of the Lion’s Den surrendered to Palestinian Authority security services late Wednesday as part of an agreement to protect them from Israeli pressure, which has reportedly included a string of arrests in recent days.
Lion’s Den members have pledged to continue launching attacks.
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