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RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the Qalandiya refugee camp at dawn on Monday during a raid to demolish the home of an alleged Palestinian attacker, witnesses said.

Israeli soldiers shot and killed Laith Assad Manasra, 21, and Ahmad Abu al-Aish, 28, as clashes broke out following a raid involving hundreds of Israeli forces in the densely populated refugee camp.
Dozens of other Palestinians were injured in the clashes, with Yusuf Abu Latifa, 17, critically wounded. Witnesses said Israeli forces stopped an ambulance he was being carried in and detained him while he was en route to hospital.

Israeli soldiers forced residents to evacuate their homes in the camp before demolishing the top floor of an apartment belonging to Muhammad Abu Shahin.

Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian ambulances attempting to reach those wounded in the raid.

Israeli forces entered the camp from all sides after closing off nearby roads and the Qalandiya military checkpoint.

An Israeli army spokesperson said that Israeli forces entered the camp in order to demolish the home of Muhammad Abu Shahin, a suspect in the killing of an Israeli settler on June 19 near the settlement of Dolevnorthwest of Ramallah.

"During the activity, suspects opened fire at the forces. In response to the immediate danger, forces fired towards the attackers. 3 hits were confirmed," Israel's army said.

"In addition, hundreds of Palestinians attacked the force, hurling fire bombs, IEDs and rocks. Forces used riot dispersal means in order to disperse the mob," the Israeli army added.

The demolition of Shahin’s home came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed to legally expedite punitive demolitions of homes belonging to Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks on Israelis.

Palestinian gunmen inside of the refugee camp -- believed to be affiliated with Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades -- have opened fire on Israeli forces in at least two instances last month, preventing Israeli forces from carrying out demolitions.

Israeli authorities overnight Friday demolished four homes belonging to the families of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly attacks on Israeli settlers.

In the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, the homes of Yahia Haj Hamed, Samir Zahir Kusa, and Kerem Lutfi Razek were destroyed, the army said in a statement.

The three were detained on Oct. 5 along with two others after Israel’s Shin Bet identified them as responsible for killing two Israeli settlers on Oct. 1.

In the Ramallah-area town of Silwad, the Israeli army reported that forces demolished the residence of Maad Hamad, who they said killed an Israeli settler on June 29.
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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Monday at dawn, the Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem. The troops killed two Palestinians during clashes with resistance fighters, wounded 34, and demolished one home.

The soldiers exchanged fire with armed resistance fighters during their invasion of the refugee camp, killing two Palestinians, identified as Laith Ashraf Manasra, 25, and Ahmad Abu al-‘Aish, 30 years of age.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said the two slain Palestinians were transferred to the Palestine Medical Center.

Army sharpshooters also occupied the rooftops of several homes in the refugee camp, shot and injured 34 Palestinians with live rounds; some of the wounded suffered moderate to severe wounds.

The soldiers fired several gas bombs at Palestinian medics and ambulances, and obstructed many medics trying to provide the needed aid to wounded Palestinians, detaining the ambulances for extended periods before finally allowing them through.

The army also demolished the second floor of a home belonging to the family of detainee Mohammad Abu Shahin, who is held by Israel for allegedly “participating in killing two Israeli settlers, and wounding three others”, in July of this year.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers invaded the camp while firing dozens of rounds of live ammunition, and advanced towards the home of Abu Shahin, before wiring the home and detonating explosives inside it.

The deaths of the two men makes the total number of Palestinians killed since October 1st eighty eight. Ten Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the same time period. Over 3,000 Palestinians have been wounded, many of them seriously. More than 1300 Palestinians were shot by live ammunition during this time period, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.