JERUSALEM: Israeli security forces killed three Islamic Jihad members when they came under fire on Saturday during a raid in the West Bank, police said, the latest deaths in a surge of violence.

The bloodshed comes amid heightened tensions ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan, that has seen violence spiral in Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Last year during Ramazan, clashes that flared between Israeli forces and Palestinians visiting Al-Aqsa mosque in annexed east Jerusalem led to 11 days of devastating conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s rulers Hamas.

On Saturday, Israeli police said security forces killed three members of Islamic Jihad who had opened fire during an operation to arrest them near the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

Four Israeli soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously, the police said.

The Israeli forces had intercepted “a terrorist cell on its way to an attack, and stopped the car in which they were travelling between Jenin and Tulkarem”, the police said.

The Islamic Jihad, which is based in Gaza, confirmed the “death of our three hero fighters” from the West Bank, identifying them as Saeb Abahra, Khalil Tawalbeh and Seif Abu Labdeh.

Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said they were slain in an “extrajudicial killing” and “horrible crime”.

Israel’s leaders “must stop committing crimes and violations against our Palestinian people, respond to their legitimate rights to freedom and independence, end the occupation and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital”, he said, quoted by the Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2022