A Palestinian teenager was killed Monday morning during fire exchange incidents at Tulkarem after Israeli military forces re-occupied this Palestinian city, local hospital officials said. Haldun Maarik, 19, died after being shot in the head by Israeli troops. In addition, at least 15 other Palestinians were wounded in the clashes, including a 42-year-old man, Jamal Hasuneh, who was clinically dead, hospital officials told AFP.
Early Monday, Israeli occupation forces besieged Tulkarem refugee camp with tanks and armored vehicles massed causing clashes between the Palestinian residents and the Israeli forces. According to KUNA, the Israeli army positioned six tanks on the east side of the Nur A Shams refugee camp and another four on the west side, in addition to deployment of other forces that triggered confrontations with Palestinian activists, eye witnesses said. The Israeli forces detained at least ten Palestinian activists, including three Hamas members.
Tulkarem's Palestinian Authority Governor Izzadine Sharif said tanks entered the town from all directions shortly after 3 A.M., as four helicopters flew above. Another Palestinian security official said about 100 tanks and armored personnel carriers took part in the raid. Israeli forces took over the house of Tulkarem mayor Mahmoud al-Jalad and the local offices of the Palestinian Legislative council, the acting parliament, Palestinian officials added.
Sharif added soldiers imposed a curfew, then moved from house to house, looking for suspects. Residents were ordered outside while troops searched their houses, Sharif conveyed, adding that he could hear the sound of sporadic gunfire. Additionally, Israeli troops surrounded the two adjacent Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, the governor said.
Israeli authorities said in an official statement that “This city produced a large number of terror attacks that cost the lives of many Israelis. This city was also the place from where the terrorist who carried out the shooting terror attack in Hadera last Thursday exited, in which six Israelis were killed and thirty were wounded.” “The activity in the city will last until the completion of the search and detention of the terrorists,” concluded this statement. (Albawaba.com)
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