An Israeli soldier and two Palestinians were killed in clashes early Wednesday near a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, the army and the Palestinian health ministry said.
“An IDF (army) officer was killed overnight during operational activity adjacent to the Gilboa Crossing during an exchange of fire with Palestinian terrorists,” an army statement said.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed “the martyrdom of the two young men” in clashes near the checkpoint known to Palestinians as Jalameh, north of Jenin.
Palestinian official news agency Wafa identified the dead Palestinians as Ahmed Ayman Ibrahim Abed, 23, and Abdul Rahman Hani Subhi Abed, 22.
Security has been tightened as Israeli football club Maccabi Haifa host French giants Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League tie later Wednesday at their base just 60 kilometres (40 miles) from Jenin.
Wednesday’s deaths are the latest in a flare-up that began in mid-March. There have been deadly attacks on Israeli targets, mostly by Palestinians. In response, Israel has launched near nightly raids on West Bank towns and cities that have killed dozens of Palestinians, including fighters.
Last week, armed forces chief Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi said “around 1,500 wanted people were arrested and hundreds of attacks prevented” in the operations.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, when it captured the territory from Jordan.
