A new round of violence has flared up, following a raid by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Palestinian militants in the West Bank city of Nablus. The daylight raid was conducted on February 23rd, in order to arrest a senior member of the Lions Den cell, whose members are believed to be responsible for the killing of Israeli soldier Sgt. Ido Baruch. The IDF convoy surrounded a home where three members, including the suspect, of the Lions Den cell were holed up, the Times of Israel reports. The ensuing firefight left all three dead.
The IDF claimed clashes erupted elsewhere in the city. Footage shows the IDF convoy of armoured vehicles being pelted with rocks and paint by crowds of Palestinians. The fighting resulted in the death of 11 Palestinians and left over 100 injured. Lion’s Den and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claim six of the fatalities were members of their organisations.
The raid left a trail of wreckage and destruction in the old market district of Nablus, as the militants targeted by the IDF were based in the city centre.
In the immediate fallout of the fighting, six rockets were fired at Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli air force retaliated by striking what it claimed were two military sites operated by Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian resistance group, which runs the coastal enclave.
On the international stage, neighbouring Arab countries such as Qatar, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have condemned the raid, while Egypt has expressed deep concern. Other states, such as the United Arab Emirates and Morocco have remained quiet so far. Israel has recently been pursuing a successful policy of rapprochement, particularly with the Gulf states. However, escalating violence towards Palestinians may threaten to derail such efforts.
With rising discontent among Palestinians, and an uncompromising nationalist faction holding key positions in the Israeli government, it is unlikely that violence will subside anytime soon.
