Israeli security forces killed three Palestinians on Saturday during a raid in the West Bank, police said, the latest deaths in a surge of violence.
The bloodshed comes amid heightened tensions ahead of the start of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, that has seen violence spiral in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
Last year during Ramadan, clashes that flared between Israeli forces and Palestinians visiting Al-Aqsa mosque in annexed east Jerusalem led to 11 days of devastating conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s Islamist rulers Hamas.
On Saturday, Israeli police said security forces killed three Palestinians who had opened fire during an operation to arrest them near the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
Four Israeli soldiers were wounded during the operation, one of them seriously, the police said.
‘We mourn the death of our three hero fighters,’ Islamist movement said, adding that two of them were from Jenin and one from Tulkarem.
Hamas issued a warning to the Israelis.
‘The enemy’s policy of assassination in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem will not provide it with so-called security,’ Hamas said.
Saturday’s clash is the latest in a spate of bloody violence in Israel and the West Bank since March 22.
On Friday, Israeli forces shot dead a 29-year-old Palestinian during clashes in the West Bank city of Hebron, the Palestinian health ministry said.
