Description

Photos:

A scene: untitled or credited. Published by Maan

A picture shared on social media showing Fuad Waqed. Published by Maan

File Photo: An Israeli soldier aims towards Palestinian protesters throwing stones during clashes in the village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank town of Jenin, on February 6, 2016. Credit: AFP
Published by Haaretz
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JENIN (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces shot and killed two 15-year-old Palestinian teenagers on Sunday in the northern West Bank after the two allegedly opened fire at Israeli soldiers, an Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an.

The spokesperson said the two teens were shot and killed after allegedly shooting at Israeli soldiers near the village of al-Araqa west of Jenin.

The spokesperson added that no Israeli soldiers were injured.
A Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) spokesperson initially told Ma’an that PRCS was informed two Palestinians were injured, but that Israeli forces prevented them from reaching the scene to provide medical treatment.

She added that the Palestinian Ministry of Health later contacted the Palestinian Red Crescent to inform them that two Palestinians had been killed.

The Ministry of Health identified the deceased Palestinians as Nihad Raed Muhammad Waqed and Fuad Marwan Khalid Waqed, both 15-year-olds from al-Araqa.

While a majority of Palestinians who have committed attacks against Israeli military, police and civilians have hailed from occupied East Jerusalem and the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron, tensions in the northern West Bank have been heating up this month.

On Feb. 3, three youth from Qabatiya village, a town about eight miles southeast of al-Araqa, were shot and killed after opening fire on two Israeli Border Police Officers in occupied East Jerusalem, killing one 19-year-old officer and injuring another.

Following the attack, Israeli forces blockaded Qabatiya village, not allowing anyone to enter or exit the area for three days. After the blockade was lifted, residents were informed that all Israeli work permits from residents of Qabatiya would be revoked.
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by Gili Cohen and Jack Khoury for Haaretz

Two Palestinians were killed by the Israel Defense Forces in an exchange of fire north of Jenin on Sunday morning.

A reserves force arrived at the West Bank separation barrier near the village of Araka, the army said, after a lookout identified stone-throwing in the area. According to the army's report, the reserve soldiers were fired at when they arrived on the scene.

Soldiers reported that one of the Palestinians was armed with a makeshift weapon and another was carrying a knife.

"Two assailants hurled rocks at cars near Jenin. Forces arrived and were fired upon by [an] assailant. [The] soldiers responded and shot [the] attackers," the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement.

None of the soldiers were wounded in the incident.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the casualties as Nihad Wakid and Fuad Wakid, both 15 and residents of Araka.

The Israeli army handed the teens' bodies over to the Red Crescent. The bodies were being transferred to the Jenin Government Hospital, the Red Crescent said.

Also Sunday, a cell phone-operated explosive device was discovered on the road leading to Mount Ebal, in the northern West Bank near Nablus. Sappers were working to neutralize the device in a controlled detonation.

On Saturday, four Border Police officers were lightly wounded in a suspected car-ramming attack on the road leading from Jerusalem to the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim. Earlier Saturday afternoon, a Palestinian woman attempted to stab an Israeli soldier in Hebron. She was shot and killed at the scene.