Several Palestinians Killed, Wounded by Israeli Gunfire in Jenin

Palestinian relatives of Youssef Radwan mourn him after he was killed near the Israeli-Gaza border fence. (Reuters)
Palestinian relatives of Youssef Radwan mourn him after he was killed near the Israeli-Gaza border fence. (Reuters)
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Several Palestinians Killed, Wounded by Israeli Gunfire in Jenin

Palestinian relatives of Youssef Radwan mourn him after he was killed near the Israeli-Gaza border fence. (Reuters)
Palestinian relatives of Youssef Radwan mourn him after he was killed near the Israeli-Gaza border fence. (Reuters)

Israeli troops raided the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank late Tuesday, killing three people and wounding some 30 others, according to Palestinian health officials. A fourth Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in separate unrest in the Gaza Strip, officials said.

The bloodshed in Jenin was the latest in a deadly wave of fighting in the West Bank, where the Israeli military has stepped up its activities over the past year and a half in what it says is an effort to crack down on Palestinian militants. Tensions now appear to be spreading to Gaza.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in its report that four Palestinians were killed and a dozen wounded by the Israeli gunfire in Jenin.

Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said Tuesday on his X account that the Israeli forces are conducting an operation in Jenin camp while the Palestinian media reported armed clashes that flared following the storming of the camp.

Adraee mentioned in his post that an army-affiliated drone launched an attack on the camp.

Jenin Battalion - a military arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad - announced earlier targeting Israeli forces gatherings and vehicles.

In another context, the Israeli forces killed one Palestinian and wounded nine others on Tuesday during protests near the Israeli-Gaza border fence.

Gaza Health Ministry reported at least nine injured and one killed by Israeli gunfire in protests in eastern Khan Younis.

The dead is identified as 25-year-old Youssef Radwan.

Dozens of Palestinians gathered in three regions on the eastern outskirts of the Strip, while the Israeli army declared that its forces were responding with the protesters’ dispersal methods and snipers.

Five Palestinians were killed, and others were wounded by an explosive device near the Israeli-Gaza border fence during Thursday protests.

Protests are being organized near the fence on Friday and on patriotic occasions amid anticipation of a gradual escalation in the severity of clashes.



Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
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Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)

Lebanese are watching closely after Donald Trump’s election as US president, hoping his policies might bring solutions to regional crises and possibly halt wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Observers caution, however, that change won’t be immediate or at Israel’s expense; instead, they expect Israel could have more military leeway before peace efforts begin.

Trump didn’t outline his plans to end conflicts during his victory speech, only briefly mentioning the issue.

Fares Soeid, a former Lebanese MP, called Trump’s win a potential global turning point, particularly in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East. Soeid believes Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s far-right may intensify.

Soeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s election could hasten military actions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, allowing Netanyahu more freedom to secure military objectives and strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

He suggested key UN resolutions intended to control arms in Lebanon may lose focus, with the goal shifting to place all weapons under state control.

There is concern in Lebanon over any change to Resolution 1701, which maintains the ceasefire with Israel.

Soeid clarified that Trump might not scrap these resolutions outright but could push for tighter arms restrictions, ensuring only Lebanon’s government holds power over weapons.

He believes the US may aim to create a cohesive Lebanese leadership to enforce these measures, essentially enabling Netanyahu more flexibility in regional matters.

The US election drew intense interest in Lebanon, with citizens and officials closely tracking the campaigns and vote results, hoping for a positive shift.

Lebanese politician Khaldoun Sharif noted that Trump reached out to Lebanese Americans during his campaign, promising to bring peace to Lebanon quickly.

He sees Trump’s advisor, Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, as potentially instrumental in highlighting Lebanon’s needs to the new administration.

Sharif criticized the outgoing Democratic administration’s handling of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying it failed to curb Netanyahu’s plans despite multiple ceasefire proposals.

As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, Sharif emphasized that Lebanon is eager for a complete ceasefire, adherence to Resolution 1701, a consensus-backed president, and a transparent, reform-oriented government to rebuild trust with Arab nations and the international community.

Sharif voiced disappointment that past US administrations have often overlooked Lebanon’s significance.

Now, amid a severe conflict, he hopes Trump will act swiftly to end the violence, support reconstruction, and restore Lebanon’s standing on the regional stage.