At least nine Palestinians were killed and scores were injured Wednesday by Israeli Apache and F-16 planes during Israeli incursions into the northern West Bank town of Jenin, Palestinian sources said.
Two Palestinians were killed in the village of Toubas, said the Palestinian new agency, WAFA.
One of the killed was identified as head of the preventive security in the area, Tawfiq Abu Sharar. The second was not immediately identified.
Another three Palestinians were killed in the nearby village of Arraba including Sufian al-Alarda, the sources told the agency.
Another three were found dead in a refugee camp in Jenin, it added.
Shaher Bani Udeh, a member of the Palestinian security services, was killed in the village of Tammun, where another 20 Palestinians were wounded.
This brings to 795 killed since the start of the Intifada or uprising, including 608 Palestinians and 164 Israelis, according to AFP estimates.
The Israeli army launched an overnight incursion in the autonomous Palestinian area of Jenin in the northern West Bank, Palestinian security sources said early Wednesday.
Heavy exchanges of fire were reported between Israeli forces and armed Palestinians, they said.
The Israeli army operating in Jenin was backed up by some 20 armored vehicles, according to AFP.
A Palestinian police building was destroyed and two people were injured during the operation, according to a first report.
The operation was not confirmed by Israeli military sources, AFP added.
The Israeli army had gathered in force in the area ahead of this operation following two suicide attacks carried out on Sunday in Israel and an armed attack the same day in the West Bank, which left five Israelis dead as well as the two Palestinian suicide attackers – Albawaba.com
