Five killed in shooting incident in West Bank
Four Palestinians and one Israeli were killed in a shooting incident in the occupied West Bank on Friday, according to Israeli and Palestinian health officials, reports BritPanorama.
The Israeli military said it had been dispatched to the area, southwest of the Palestinian city of Nablus, following reports of an attack on Israeli civilians who were hiking there. The military alleged that a Palestinian had stolen a weapon from local security personnel and fired at the Israeli civilians.
Palestinian officials asserted that citizens from the West Bank town of Tal had been attacked by Israeli civilians, resulting in the death of four individuals and injuries to four others caused by both Israeli civilians and soldiers.
A temporary closure was imposed on the city of Nablus and the Tal area, with Israeli troops setting up roadblocks and pursuing the assailants, the military reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was convening an emergency meeting to discuss a response to the situation, his office stated.
Essam Saifi, a local leader in the Palestinian Fatah party from Tal, detailed to Reuters that approximately 25 to 30 Jewish settlers initially attacked the eastern area of Tal, attempting to break into two houses. When residents confronted the attackers, Saifi claimed, the settlers opened fire.
About half an hour later, he reported, the Israelis returned and assaulted the western part of the town, striking a minor with a weapon. This escalation led to chaos, prompting the arrival of the Israeli military, which began shooting alongside the settlers, Saifi added.
