- Three Palestinians Killed in Clashes with Israeli Soldiers
- Samaritans’ Community Under Protection Amid Escalating Tensions
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Ongoing Violence in the West Bank
According to the Israeli military, three Palestinians were shot and killed after opening fire on Israeli soldiers near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
The soldiers were protecting the Samaritans, a small community with roots in biblical Israelite tribes.
Before a two-minute gun conflict, security camera footage shows a figure firing at two soldiers, who then return fire.
It occurs as Israeli-Palestinian tensions in the West Bank escalate.
More than 160 Palestinians, including militants and civilians, have been slain by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the year.
At least thirty Israelis, including two foreigners and a Palestinian worker, have been slain in Palestinian attacks or apparent attacks. Except for one off-duty soldier and a member of the Israeli security forces, all were civilians.
Tuesday morning, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) also reported that a vehicle fired upon their soldiers. It was stated that the soldiers fired back, “neutralizing the terrorists.”
It was stated that weapons, ammunition, and military apparatus were discovered and seized.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces removed the corpses of men aged between 32 and 43 and their vehicles.
The area where the incident occurred is home to fewer than 900 Samaritans, half of whom reside in Israel and the other half outside of Nablus under Palestinian rule. Unusually, members of this group possess dual Israeli and Palestinian citizenship.
They follow a religion that has its origins in Judaism but has its official status, customs, and beliefs.
