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Photos:
Iyad Omar Sajadiyya. Pubished by Maan

Israeli soldiers extricated from Palestinian refugee camp after their jeep was hit by firebomb in Qalandiyah. March 1, 2016. Midabrim Communications - Credit: Simchastream. Published by Haaretz
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RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian and injured 12 others overnight Monday during fierce clashes that broke out when the military raided Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank to extricate two soldiers.

The Palestinian Red Crescent identified the victim as 22-year-old Iyad Omar Sajadiyya, a journalism student at al-Quds University in Abu Dis. He was shot in the head.

Red Crescent officials told Ma’an that ambulances evacuated 12 other young men for medical treatment, four of whom were shot with live ammunition and six by rubber-coated steel bullets. Two young men were also hit with high velocity tear gas canisters.

Qalandiya residents told Ma’an that large numbers of Israeli soldiers were sent to the camp to “rescue a group of undercover [Israeli] officers” who had entered through an alley near the camp’s cemetery.

While locals referred to "undercover forces," an Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that “a mob attacked a military vehicle in Qalandiya refugee camp,” which was set ablaze after rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown at it.

Two soldiers inside the military vehicle at the time escaped by foot, at which point the Israeli army launched a search to extract the soldiers, the spokesperson said.

“Riots erupted” between residents and military forces carrying out the search and continued after the two soldiers were located, the spokesperson added. Israeli military forces opened fire on residents during the “riots,” the spokesperson said, confirming hits.

According to locals, Palestinian gunmen held the soldiers for three hours before they were evacuated by an Israeli military helicopter.

Locals confirmed fierce clashes that broke out between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers while others threw rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Qalandiya camp residents reported helicopters and bulldozers in the vicinity during the search, adding that a home in the camp belonging to the al-Salayma family caught fire after being hit by gunfire and tear gas canisters.

Israeli media reported that initial investigations revealed an Israeli army driver and a squad commander from a special forces unit were en route to the Beit El military base when they mistakenly entered the refugee camp following the direction of the "Waze" navigation application for smartphones.

At least ten members of the Israeli forces, including five soldiers and five border police, were injured during the incursion into Qalandiya, according to Israeli media reports.

Tensions between Israeli military forces and residents of Qalandiya refugee camp have been heightened in recent months, with at least 10 residents of the camp killed by Israeli forces since October, around half of whom were shot dead while attempting or carrying out attacks.

The remaining were killed during Israeli army raids on the refugee camp.
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by Gili Cohen for Haaretz

Two Israeli soldiers were extricated from the Qalandiyah refugee camp, near Jerusalem, after their military jeep was hit by a firebomb late Monday. The soldiers fled the burning jeep and one of them was out of contact for up to an hour, sparking rumors of a missing soldier.

Eventually both were extricated from the camp under a barrage of stones but without injury. Subsequent clashes left one Palestinian dead and saw five Israeli officers hurt, medical officials said Tuesday morning.

The Red Crescent said the Palestinian was shot in the head and later identified him as 22-year-old communication student at al-Quds University, Iyad Sajdiya. Four others were reportedly wounded by live fire, including one in serious condition, while six were wounded by rubber bullets.

According to an initial investigation, the IDF soldiers, from the Oketz Unit, entered the camp, possibly by mistake while being led by the navigation application Waze. Their jeep was hit by stones and the firebomb, setting it ablaze. The two fled the burning jeep, with one hiding in the courtyard of a house and calling in massive reinforcements, who entered the camp and rescued the two.

The other soldier was out of contact for up to an hour while forces encircled the camp and searched for him. According to the army, both soldiers were now said to be fine, despite the potential severity of the event.

The IDF then attempted to extricate the car and vowed to investigate why the soldiers entered the camp.

Overnight, at least five Israeli Border Police officers were hurt in violent clashes that followed the incident, with one suffering moderate wounds.

Last November, two Palestinians were killed in clashes with the Israeli army in the camp.