Thousands of Palestinians attended the funeral of 12 people, including four minors, who were killed by Israeli occupation forces in a raid on the city and refugee camp of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.
The mourners carried the bodies of the victims, wrapped in Palestinian flags, from the government hospital to the camp, where they chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation and vowed to continue their resistance.
The Israeli raid, which began at dawn on Monday, was one of the deadliest in recent years. The Israeli army said it was targeting members of Islamic Jihad, who were allegedly planning attacks inside Israel.
However, Palestinian officials and human rights groups accused the Israeli occupation of using excessive force and violating international law. They said the Israeli occupation forces attacked hospitals, ambulances and medical workers, prevented them from reaching the wounded, and displaced and assaulted hundreds of civilians who were forced to flee their homes.
The raid also caused widespread damage to Palestinian property, vehicles and infrastructure. The Israeli occupation forces bulldozed roads and fired tear gas and live ammunition at the residents of the camp, which is home to about 13,000 people.
Palestinian official bodies condemned the Israeli aggression and called for international protection for the Palestinian people. It also urged the International Criminal Court to investigate the Israeli crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The United Nations and several countries also expressed their concern over the escalation of violence and called for restraint and respect for human rights.
The names of Palestinians killed by Israeli occupation forces are: Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa (20), Hussam Muhammad Abu Dhiba (18), Aws Hani Hanoun (19), Noureddine Hossam Marshoud (16), Mohammed Muhannad al-Shami (23), Ahmed Mohammed Amer (21), Majdi Younis Ararawi (17), Ali Hani al-Ghoul (19), Mustafa Imad Qassem (16), Uday Ibrahim Khamaysa (22), Abdul Rahman Ahmed Saabneh (22), and Jawad Nairat.
According to the reports of medical and human rights organizations, some of the victims were shot at close range or in the back, indicating a possible extrajudicial execution. The Israeli forces also prevented some families from retrieving the bodies of their loved ones for hours, leaving them bleeding on the ground.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that among the killed Palestinians were four minors under the age of 18, while medical teams have found it very difficult since the aggression began to reach and deal with the injured. The ministry said that dozens of people were wounded by live bullets, shrapnel and tear gas inhalation, some of them in critical condition.
The raid on Jenin came amid a wave of protests across the West Bank against Israel’s ongoing occupation, settlement expansion and blockade of Gaza.
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