6 Palestinians killed by Israel in West Bank

Israeli occupation forces killed six Palestinians this morning across the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus, including Wadih Al Houh, a leader of the Lions’ Den group.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, five Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire. One of those killed was unarmed, it added.

They have been identified as 26-year-old Ali Khaled Antar, 27-year-old Mishal Baghdadi, 31-year-old Wadee Al-Hawah, 30-year-old Hamdi Qayyem and 35-year-old Hamdi Mohamed Sharaf.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Israeli occupation forces prevented its medical crews from evacuating the injured Palestinians during the army’s raid of the area overnight.

“Israel must immediately halt its crimes,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesman for the  Palestinian Authority (PA) presidency, who added that PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ office had reached out to the United States to “intervene to stop the aggression and end the occupation”.

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It comes as Israel continues its tighten its blockade on Nablus, while Palestinian residents are facing the siege with great resilience.

Some 450,000 people live in Nablus and the surrounding area, including villages and refugee camps. All have been enduring a strict siege for 14 days.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army confirmed in a statement that it had conducted a large-scale night operation in Nablus, raiding a “hideout apartment that was used as a headquarters and explosives manufacturing site”.

“The forces detonated the explosive manufacturing site,” the army statement added. “During the activity, multiple armed suspects were hit,” it added without providing a death toll.

This year is said to be the deadliest in the West Bank since 2015. More than 160 Palestinians, including many civilians, have been killed. Another 1,500 people have been arrested, according to Palestinian sources.