‘Unparalleled’: Israeli army raids Ramallah, more occupied West Bank cities | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Israeli forces have launched their most intense raids but on cities within the occupied West Financial institution as they pressed on with one of many largest incursions within the territory since Israel’s battle on Gaza started in October.

No less than one individual was killed after Israeli troops launched a coordinated in a single day assault on 10 cities together with Hebron, Halhul, Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarem, el-Bireh, Jericho and notably the centre of Ramallah, which is the executive headquarters of the Palestinian Authority.

The raids, which continued till early on Thursday morning, focused Palestinian cash change retailers, Al Jazeera’s reporters on the bottom mentioned.

“This was a raid like we haven’t seen within the centre of Ramallah, like no different. Since October 7 we haven’t seen a raid of this measurement,” Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan mentioned, reporting from close to the scene on Thursday.

He mentioned the “unparalleled” raid started at 1am on Thursday (23:00 GMT Wednesday) and lasted for about 4 hours, with “at the least 20 automobiles” getting into Ramallah.

Israeli forces used tear gasoline and stun grenades to clear a road after which blocked off the world, earlier than utilizing a “managed explosion” to enter a cash change store. The troopers seized paperwork and arrested enterprise homeowners.

“The Israelis say [the shops] have been utilized by the resistance actions to finance their actions,” Khan mentioned, including that about three cash change outlets have been raided in Ramallah and some extra in different cities.

“In complete, they really seized about $2.5m in these raids,” in keeping with our correspondent.

On the similar time, fierce clashes broke out in al-Manara Sq. within the centre of Ramallah. One individual was shot and killed and at the least 15 others have been injured throughout confrontations between Israeli troopers and Palestinians.

“We handled and transported 4 injured Palestinians who have been shot within the chest, shoulder, leg and delicate areas with .223 calibre rounds,” Majd Omar, a paramedic with the Palestinian Life Society in Ramallah, advised Al Jazeera.

He mentioned they have been in a position to get a number of the injured to the hospital whereas others have been transported by the Palestinian Pink Crescent Society (PRCS).

PRCS mentioned one Palestinian was injured after being shot by Israeli forces in Nablus metropolis. 9 individuals have been injured in a separate raid on Halhul metropolis, the place two individuals have been detained, the Palestinian information company Wafa reported.

‘Intentionally scary Palestinians’

Though Israeli raids are usually not uncommon within the occupied West Financial institution, their scale, frequency and depth have elevated in current weeks.

Rami Khouri, a distinguished fellow on the American College of Beirut, advised Al Jazeera the raids have been affirmation that the Israelis are transferring to forestall the occupied West Financial institution from erupting in confrontation towards Israel amid the battle in Gaza.

“They don’t need the West Financial institution to emerge now as the following [front],” he mentioned, including that the raids are attempting to finish Palestinian resistance within the occupied West Financial institution.

Based on Mouin Rabbani, a Center East analyst, the escalation of violence within the occupied West Financial institution is a part of an agenda of some Israeli officers “to completely consolidate” Israel’s rule over the Palestinian territory.

“They’re out to intentionally provoke the Palestinians to hunt to create as a lot battle as doable,” he advised Al Jazeera. “They’re even out to impress the safety forces of the Palestinian Authority, as a result of of their view, ought to they develop into concerned in a battle, that will then give Israel a pretext to easily get rid of the Palestinian Authority altogether.”

Violence throughout the West Financial institution has flared since Israel’s battle on the Gaza Strip started on October 7. In that point, greater than 300 individuals have been killed in raids there and practically 4,800 Palestinians have been arrested.

Within the Gaza Strip, greater than 21,000 individuals have been killed and at the least 55,000 wounded in Israeli assaults since October 7.