An Israeli soldier was killed on Thursday morning during a military invasion to the West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, Israeli media sources reported.
The sources said the soldier was killed in a gun battle erupted between Palestinian resistance fighters and the invading paratroopers, supported by 22 military vehicles, who entered the camp and searched scores of houses and arrested several civilians.
The army claims the operation intends to arrest claimed wanted Palestinians from Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
Troops surrounded a house where the fighters were hiding and exchanged fire with them. The five men were arrested by the army.
In a separate incident, Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in its online edition that two Israeli security guards were wounded in a shoot out near the settlement of Tapuah near Nablus.
Troops imposed curfew in the nearby town of Huwwara after the shooting.
The two from Ariel and Petah Tikva, sustained light-to-moderate wounds and were taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva to be treated for their wounds.
No Palestinian faction claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli air force gun ships launched an air strike at targeting access roads after the resistance fired some home-made Qassam shells at the Western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
Qassam shells were fired in response to the latest Israeli military operation in Jericho which targeted the prison were Ahmed Sa’adaat, the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and four of his comrades were held.
The five are allegedly accused of assassinating the Israeli cabinet minister Rehavaam Ze’vi in October 2001.
The PFLP claimed responsibility for the assassination of Ze’vi as a retaliation to the assassination of its secretary General Abu Ali Mustafa in August 2001.
