At least 20 Palestinians, including four schoolchildren, were wounded by Israeli fire on Sunday during a military raid of Nablus and al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank.
The raids took place in the afternoon, a time when streets were crowded and students were getting ready to return home from school.
Israeli special forces stormed the Old City of Nablus and surrounded a house, backed by additional military reinforcements in the area.
A widely circulated video shows a student, wearing his backpack, wounded on the ground and unable to get up. He is then seen crawling across the floor, while another person drags a bleeding individual past him.
Journalist Samer Khuwaira, from the city, told Middle East Eye that Israeli forces raided the eastern market, immediately occupying more than 20 houses. They conducted field investigations with the homeowners and restricted them from having any contact with others.
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“The Israeli army opened heavy fire during the military operation, which occurred at rush hour when the markets were crowded and school was about to end,” he said.
During the incursion, a loud explosion was heard, which was later confirmed to be caused by Palestinian fighters detonating an explosive device targeting the Israeli army, though no casualties were reported.
Israel forces prevented medical teams from reaching the wounded, some of whom bled for over an hour.
Ahmed Jibril, spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Nablus, reported that 17 Palestinians were wounded during the raid, with one suffering a severe pelvic injury.
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Among the injured were four students, aged 15, 16 and 17. One Palestinian was also wounded after being run over by an Israeli military vehicle.
“Our crews were obstructed from reaching the casualties, and we faced difficulties evacuating them from the site, which was filled with soldiers,” Jibril stated.
Four hours later, the Israeli army withdrew from the city without making any arrests or providing an explanation.
Meanwhile, in the city of al-Bireh, near Ramallah, the Israeli army stormed Umm al-Sharayet neighbourhood, firing bullets, sound grenades and tear gas.
The Palestine Red Crescent reported treating an 11-year-old child who was hit by rubber-coated metal bullets during the raid. Medics also treated two individuals for suffocation due to tear gas inhalation.
Soldiers also raided local shops, conducting field investigations with the owners before withdrawing from the area.
