Two Palestinian terrorists were killed on Tuesday during an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near Jericho in the Jordan Valley.
The firefight broke out during an early morning Israeli arrest raid in the Aqbat Jabr camp, located southwest of Jericho.
The IDF said in a statement on Tuesday that “during the activity in the camp, suspects fired toward the Israel Border Police, who responded with live fire. Hits were identified.”
Palestinian sources identified the two fatalities as Kosai Amr Alwalji, 16, and Mohammad Rabhi Najum, 25.
They were both reportedly affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
Until two years ago, Najum worked as a lifeguard at Kibbutz Kalya, which is located near the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea next to Qumran National Park. He was fired after arousing the suspicion of the security coordinator of the kibbutz, HaKol HaYehudi (Jewish Voice) reported.
“Two young men were rushed to the hospital with bullets in their chests,” the Jericho Hospital’s director told the Reuters news agency.
Residents told the news agency that the raid lasted less than an hour.
Israeli forces arrested the target of the raid, Muhammad Nasr Abu al-Asal, 20, at his home, according to Ynet News, which cited the director of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Jericho, Eid Brahma.
Arrests were made and weapons were confiscated during overnight counterterror operations throughout Judea and Samaria, the army said.
In addition to the suspect arrested in the Aqbat Jabr camp, another suspect was arrested in the town of Ein as-Sultan, also near Jericho. Clashes also erupted during the Ein as-Sultan operation during which Israeli troops were attacked with firebombs and responded with .22 caliber rounds.
Three suspects were arrested in Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, and Israeli forces confiscated two airsoft guns, a handgun and an M-16 rifle. The Israeli troops were stoned as they withdrew following the arrest, according to the IDF.
Three additional suspects were arrested in Burqa near Nablus and in Hebron. Israeli forces were stoned in Yatta, near Hebron, as well, and responded with riot dispersal methods.
No Israeli casualties were reported during any of the operations.
