Israeli Forces Kill 2 Palestinians Who Carried Out Attack

Israeli soldiers secures the site of a reported attack in the Kdumim settlement, north of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on July 6, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
Israeli soldiers secures the site of a reported attack in the Kdumim settlement, north of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on July 6, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
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Israeli Forces Kill 2 Palestinians Who Carried Out Attack

Israeli soldiers secures the site of a reported attack in the Kdumim settlement, north of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on July 6, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
Israeli soldiers secures the site of a reported attack in the Kdumim settlement, north of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on July 6, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

Israeli security forces on Friday killed two Palestinians who carried out a shooting attack against police this week, Israel's military said.

Israeli forces raided the occupied West Bank town of Nablus, the military said, and "both terrorists were killed following an exchange of fire."

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Israeli troops had cordoned off a house where the two had holed up and that they had been "executed".

The armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a major faction in the Palestine Liberation Organization, claimed the two men as members and said they had carried out the attack on Israeli police.

Palestinian health officials reported a casualty in a separate incident near the city of Ramallah, when violence erupted at an anti-settlement protest. Palestinian residents said Jewish settlers arrived and a stone-throwing clash ensued. Israeli soldiers at the scene opened fire, they said.

One Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire, but the exact circumstances were unclear, according to Palestinian officials. An Israeli army spokesperson was checking the report.

Most countries view Israel’s settlements on occupied land as illegal. Israel disputes this.

Friday's violence followed a two-day Israeli operation earlier this week in the densely populated Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, which has been a flashpoint in a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has convulsed the West Bank for more than a year.

The Israeli military said it had targeted infrastructure and weapons depots of Palestinian armed factions in Jenin in the operation.

Twelve Palestinians, most confirmed as militant fighters, were killed and around 100 wounded in the incursion that began with late-night drone strikes, followed by a sweep involving more than 1,000 troops.

The raid damaged homes, left a trail of wrecked streets and burned-out cars and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people from the refugee camp. Israel says all the Palestinians killed were combatants. One Israeli soldier was killed.

The Jenin operation was the most intense in two decades, said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that provides public services in Gaza and the West Bank.

UNRWA said it had set up a temporary healthcare facility because a part of its health center was destroyed, and appealed for foreign aid to help rebuild damaged buildings.

The Israeli army during its operation had said it struck a militant command center in Jenin that was situated next to an UNRWA school and medical center. 



Trump’s Return: Jubilation in Tel Aviv, Worries in Ramallah

A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
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Trump’s Return: Jubilation in Tel Aviv, Worries in Ramallah

A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)

The excitement among Israel’s ruling coalition leaders over Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election matches the joy of his supporters in the US.
In contrast, the rest of the world, especially the Palestinians, remains cautious and worried, waiting to see how he will act.
Their only response is hope—hope that he might end wars and shift his known “hostile” policies.
Trump sent a clear message when he declared after his win, “I will not start wars, I will end them.” Both Palestinians and Israelis took note of this, each interpreting it through their own lens.
However, both sides must wait two months for Trump to take office and even longer to see how he will approach foreign policy.
In Israel, the ruling coalition is celebrating with the expectation that Trump will offer strong military, security, and political support—not just in their conflicts with Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, but also in their broader goals, including ending the Palestinian dream of statehood, expelling them, and annexing the West Bank, Golan Heights, and possibly parts of Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was almost the first leader to congratulate Trump, followed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
While Israelis eagerly await Trump’s arrival, Palestinian leaders in Ramallah are worried he won’t change his previous policies.
A research paper from a London-based monitoring center for political and strategic studies highlighted that Trump’s previous decisions harmed Palestinians, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing it as Israel’s capital, and cutting funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
These actions helped isolate the Palestinian Authority and weaken its political demands.
The paper expressed concerns that Trump might continue or intensify these policies, such as reducing international support for Palestinians or backing more settlement expansion.
For Palestinians, this could worsen political, economic, and humanitarian challenges.
Trump is also known for his strong stance against resistance factions.
After the death of Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, Trump called it a crucial step toward regional stability.
For now, Palestinians are left waiting.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Trump, saying he looks forward to working with him for peace and security in the region.