By Harun Nasrullah
(The Muslim News): Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have shot three Palestinians dead, including a teenager, in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank and in the Naqab (Negev) desert, earlier this week.
The IOF had moved into Balata refugee camp in eastern Nablus and Qalandia refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem.
17-year-old Nader Rayan died after being shot in the head, chest and hand following an Israeli raid on the sprawling Balata refugee camp in the northern city of Nablus early on March 15, the Palestinian health ministry announced.
The raid on Balata resulted in the arrest of Ammar Arafat, who was detained after his house was stormed by forces.
According to Palestinian media, Arafat was wanted by Israel for several months. His home was raided many times, and his family received threats he would be killed if he did not turn himself in.
Confrontations broke out after his arrest, as Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen traded fire.
The second death occurred in the Qalandiya refugee camp on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem.
Alaa Shaham, in his twenties, was killed by a bullet to the head, the ministry said. Six other Palestinians were wounded by live fire.
Qalandiya hosts the main checkpoint between annexed East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Raids by Israeli forces into overcrowded refugee camps are frequent and often result in deaths, and are seen by Palestinians to maintain Israel’s occupation.
According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the IOF, has as of the start of 2022, conducted 1,539 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 940 Palestinians were arrested, including 117 children and 9 women.
IOF also conducted 11 limited incursions into eastern Gaza Strip and arrested 12 Palestinians, including seven fishermen, four infiltrators via the border fence, and one traveller via Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing.
Excluding East Jerusalem, the West Bank hosts some 475,000 Israelis who live in settlements regarded as illegal by the international community.
This week also saw the IOF raze over 9-acres of land, demolish a fence and hand nine notices to stop construction works in nine civilian objects in the West Bank.
[Photo: Palestinians carry the body of Alaa Shiham, who was killed by Israeli forces during raid into the Qalandia Refugee Camp, during his funeral in Jerusalem on March 15, 2022. Photographer; Issam Rimawi/AA]
