Israeli army mounts rare raid into Palestinian city of Ramallah, clashes ensue

Clashes erupted after Israeli forces mounted a rare raid into the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank early on Thursday, in what the military said was an operation to demolish the house of an assailant.

A Reuters witness said a large military convoy arrived in downtown Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian government, leading hundreds of Palestinians to gather in the area.

Some Palestinian youth hurled stones at the Israeli forces, who fired live bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at the crowd, the witness said. Trash bins that were set on fire blocked roads as ambulance sirens wailed.

The Palestinian health ministry said at least six people were transferred to hospital for treatment, including three who sustained gunshot wounds.

#عااااااااااجل🚨
اشتباكات عنيفه في #رام_الله بين ابطال #فلسطين وجيش العدو الإسرائيلي احتجاج على محاولةالعدو هدم أحد المنازل في #رام_الله #الاستديو27 #خلف_بن_هذال #شاعر_الوطن #Messi𓃵 #كاميرا_واوا#ميتروفيتش_مطلب_هلالي #غاندوغان_مطلب_هلالي #سون_مطلب_هلالي pic.twitter.com/5e4wdnyw7N

— حسين القحوم (@hsyngh5) June 7, 2023

فيديو | إذاعة جيش الاحتلال تنشر فيديو خلال اقتحام مدينة رام الله من داخل أحد الجيبات pic.twitter.com/51W6JBe72y

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) June 7, 2023

اشتباك مسلح بين المقاومين وجيش الاحتلال في مدينة رام الله... pic.twitter.com/UW0K1FguBh

— Firas Taneineh (@FirasTaneineh) June 7, 2023

شاهد| لحظة نقل الصحفي مؤمن سمرين بعد إصابة برصاص الاحتلال خلال تغظيته للمواجهات المندلعة بمدينة رام الله. pic.twitter.com/VEj3CT3gGU

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 8, 2023

The Israeli military said its forces were operating in Ramallah "to demolish the residence of the terrorist who carried out the bombing attack in Jerusalem last November".

The twin blasts killed two people and wounded at least 14 others in what police said were explosions of improvised bombs that were planted at bus stops near the city exit and in a junction leading to an Israeli settlement.

"The demolition of the homes of fighters is a collective punishment that falls under the war crimes committed by the occupation against our people," said Abdel Fattah Dola of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party.

Hours earlier the U.S. envoy to Palestinians, Hady Amr, met with senior Palestinian official Hussein Al-Sheikh.

Israeli violence in the West Bank - among territories where Palestinians seek statehood - has risen during the past year.

The Palestinian health ministry said at least 158 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed by Israel since January in the occupied territories and the besieged Gaza Strip, which Israel has bombed repeatedly.

(Reuters)