Palestinian man and boy killed in army raid on West Bank refugee camp

Local witnesses dispute Israeli military claim it returned fire after troops came under attack by Palestinian gunmen

A Palestinian protester takes cover during clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank village of Araka near Jenin in this file photo from 15 February 2016 (REUTERS)

A 21-year-old Palestinian man and teenage boy have been shot dead by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) after a raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank turned violent, medical officials have said.

A routine dawn search for suspected militants and weapons in Jenin on Wednesday was met with gunfire, the IDF said in a statement, leading troops to return fire.

“During an IDF operation in the Jenin refugee camp, Palestinian gunmen opened fire at the forces and assailants hurled explosive devices at the forces,” a military statement said.

“In response to the immediate threat, forces shot towards the attackers.”

Locals who witnessed the incident said there had not been Palestinian gunfire before the IDF opened fire. The army used stun grenades and tear gas as well as live rounds on protesters throwing rocks, they said.

Mohammed Sadee, who lives in the camp, told Reuters he witnessed one of the Palestinians being shot.

“The military jeeps were driving in and this martyr was behind them on a motorbike. They shot him... and he fell to the ground,” he said.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that two Palestinians were killed and a third was wounded in the leg.

21-year-old Sa’ad Salah died at the scene after being shot in the head. Aws Salameh, reported variously as being either 16 or 17 years old, died of his wounds while being treated in hospital, Jenin’s hospital director said.

No arrests were made at Jenin, although 21 others were taken into custody in similar raids across the occupied West Bank.

15 more Palestinians were arrested overnight on Tuesday on suspicion of taking part in forms of popular protest such as stone-throwing, the army said.

The two dead are the 38th and 39th Palestinians reported killed by the Israeli authorities this year.

At least 32 Palestinian children were killed as a result of violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem in 2016, human rights group Defence for Children International (DCI) has claimed, making last year the deadliest for Palestinian youth for a decade.

With Aws Salemeh’s death 10 children have been documented as killed by the IDF or Israeli settlers so far in 2017, according to DCI data.