Israeli forces raid Nablus old city, Lions' Den say they successfully fought off the raid

The Lions' Den Palestinian armed group said in a statement on Wednesday that its fighters successfully fought off an Israeli raid on the old city of Nablus, earlier in the morning.

Israeli forces raided the old city in Nablus early on Wednesday, and fought with Palestinian fighters, before withdrawing. No casualties or arrests were reported.

"The occupation's special forces entered the old city undercover, disguised in a civilian vehicle and with civilian clothes," a member of the old city's popular committee, a grassroots emergency body, who asked not to be named, told The New Arab.

The lsraeli occupation forces storm into the city of Nablus. pic.twitter.com/1YuUPoA13T

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) December 7, 2022

"Soldiers began to take positions in the alleys of the old city, and advanced deep into the Yasmina neighbourhood when they began to exchange fire with fighters," said the popular committee member.

"A large number of occupation troops then entered the old city and sealed its entrances, forbidding even ambulances from entering, while gunfight continued for about one hour," they added. "Around 8:00 am the occupation forces began to withdraw, without arresting or killing anyone, and residents came out to the streets of the old city celebrating."

"Our fighters discovered the occupation’s special forces around 6:00 am and set ready to confront them," the Lions' Den said in its statement.

Video footage documents Israeli occupation forces preventing the medical staff from reaching the old city of Nablus to evacuate the wounded Palestinians during a military raid into the city. pic.twitter.com/ufywINPDCj

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) December 7, 2022

"The resistance fighters engaged the raiding forces, inflicting casualties on them," the statement, which was distributed through Telegram, further stated.

"None of the fighters of the Lions' Den was wounded or hurt," the statement added.

Israeli media quoted the Israeli army claiming that its forces came under fire while 'operating in Nablus', and returned fire. Israeli reports added that no Palestinians were detained during the raid.

Nablus has been targeted by Israeli military raids for months. In October, the Israeli army imposed a three-week-long siege on the city, restricting movement in and out of the city.

The siege came after the Lions' Den, based in Nablus' old city, claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on Israeli forces north of the city that killed one soldier.

Columns of smoke arise as the lsraeli occupation forces target a house with ENERGA grenades during a military raid in Nablus city. pic.twitter.com/Ff4tHqcE5n

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) December 7, 2022

During the siege, Israeli forces raided the old city several times, killing two senior commanders of the group, 33-year-old Tamer Kilani and 31-year-old Wadea Al-Hawah, along with other Palestinians.

In late November, Israeli forces raided Nablus again, killing 16-year-old Ahmed Shehadeh, a middle school student who also worked in a store with his father.

The same day, two other Palestinians died of wounds caused by Israeli forces in previous raids. 22-year-old Mohammad Abu Kishk, another civilian, and 30-year-old Mohammad Hirzallah, whom the Lions' Den mourned as one of its members.

The occupied West Bank has witnessed an ongoing escalation of Israeli raids on Palestinian towns and cities since the beginning of the year, along with an increase in Palestinian militancy against Israeli forces, especially in the northern West Bank.

Lion’s Den lured an Israeli special force into an ambush in the old city of Nablus.

According to eyewitnesses, several Israeli soldiers are wounded. pic.twitter.com/4GSP8zTzht

— Younis | يونس (@ytirawi) December 7, 2022

Also on Wednesday, Israeli forces raided the village of Allar, near Tulkarem, as well as the villages of Beit Duqu and Biddu, north of Jerusalem and the village of Samoua near Hebron.

"Occupation forces arrested 18 Palestinians during Wednesday’s raids," Ayah Shreiteh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Prisoners' Club told TNA.

"Nine of them were arrested in Samoua and were released hours later," she added.

So far, Israeli forces have killed 212 Palestinians since the beginning of 2022, the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005, according to the UN.