Teacher Among Two Palestinians Killed by Israeli Forces in Jenin

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Facts

  • The Palestinian Health Ministry has claimed Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian schoolteacher and a militant during a raid in the Jenin refugee camp. Israeli forces also reportedly arrested two sons of a local Islamic Jihad leader.
  • The dead were identified as Adham Jabareen, 28, and Jawad Bawaqneh — a 57-year-old teacher who was killed while giving medical aid to Jabreen outside his home. Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that Jabareen was a member of the group.
  • Al Jazeera later confirmed that Jabareen was a member of the Jenin Brigades, a local armed group that is associated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The outlet also reported that four other Palestinians were injured by live fire.
  • The Israeli military said it came under heavy gunfire after entering the city and returned fire, reporting that one soldier was injured. Regarding the teacher's death, the military said the incident was under review and that the Israel Defense Forces doesn't "intentionally fire toward civilians."
  • The deaths of Jabareen and Bawaqneh bring the total of Palestinians killed since the beginning of the year to 17. This comes as the UN cited 2022 as being the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2006.
  • The Israeli military has expanded its operations in the West Bank over the last year following a string of deadly attacks in Israel last spring that left 19 Israelis dead.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC News, Al Jazeera, and Jerusalem Post.

Narratives

  • Pro-Palestine, as provided by Middle East Eye. As Israel expands its near-daily raids into the West Bank, more and more Palestinians are dying. Jawad Bawaqneh simply wanted to help someone injured outside his house, but, nonetheless, he was killed by Israel's war machine. Last year was the deadliest twelve months for Palestine since the Second Intifada, killing at least 167 Palestinians.
  • Pro-Israel, as provided by Times of Israel. Though it is tragic when innocent bystanders are killed, the fault for such losses ultimately falls on Palestinian militancy and terrorism, which has used the civilian population as a shield. Most of those killed in the last year have been terrorists who died as Israeli forces conducted operations to keep civilians safe. The only reason raids in the West Bank have expanded over the last year is due to Palestinian-backed terrorism against Israel.