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Terrorists attack IDF Troops in Jenin, four killed in clashes

A “large number” of terrorists opened fire on the troops from a short distance, the Border Police said.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Israeli security forces shot and killed four Palestinians in Jenin during the early hours of Monday morning, after an arrest operation devolved into a bloody clash.

The Israeli Border Police’s special undercover unit entered Jenin overnight to carry out an arrest warrant for a Hamas-affiliated resident of the city, Mohammed Abu Zaina, who is wanted on terror charges.

A statement from the Border Police said that during the arrest, a “large number” of terrorists opened fire on the troops from a “short” distance.

“The Border Police’s undercover forces returned fire at the terrorists and neutralized them,” the police said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified Saleh Amar, 19, and Raed Abu Said, 24, as two of the men killed by Israeli Border Police fire.

A video published on the Twitter account of Aqsa TV News, reportedly of the clash, depicted a chaotic scene with cars reversing backwards fleeing the crossfire, and a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance evacuating a wounded person.

Sporadic gunfire is heard in the background.

Monday’s incident marks the third time since July that Israeli security forces have engaged in a firefight during an arrest operation in Jenin.

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In early August, six Palestinians were wounded in Jenin by Israeli troops, as gunmen fired upon undercover Border Patrol troops carrying out arrests in the city.

A statement from the Border Police said the counterterrorism unit had come under “heavy fire” and “neutralized” a number of terrorists who shot at the troops.

In July, an undercover IDF unit engaged in a massive firefight with locals when trying to transport the terror suspects out of the city.

Residents of Jenin opened fire and hurled explosive devices at the troops, Israeli media reported at the time.

The IDF returned fire, wounding six Palestinians, with troops later seizing an M-16 machine gun from one of the suspects.

In June, two Palestinian Military Intelligence officers were killed by undercover IDF troops during an operation to arrest two terror suspects in Jenin.