One Palestinian youth killed, four others wounded in Israeli occupation’s raid on Nablus
Palestinians were resisting Israeli occupation forces who stormed the area to provide security cover to illegal settlers invading the locality. Since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, extremist right-wing settlers have tried to claim exclusive access to Joseph's Shrine, which has been visited by people of all faiths for ages
19-year-old Bader al-Masri was killed in the firing by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus on July 20, 2023. (Photo: via Social Media)
Thousands of Palestinians participated in the funeral procession of 19-year-old Bader al-Masri who was killed by the Israeli occupation forces on the early morning of Thursday, July 20, during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. Masri was killed and four others were wounded with live bullets when they were resisting the occupation forces storming the Joseph’s Tomb shrine area in Nablus to cordon it off to provide security cover to invading illegal settlers.
In Pictures: Palestinians take part in the funeral procession of 19-year-old Palestinian Bader al-Masri who was fatally shot in the chest by Israeli occupation forces as the latter stormed the eastern area of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, last night, to secure the… pic.twitter.com/45xFu5ET9s
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 20, 2023
Located inside Palestinian Balata refugee camp, the Joseph’s shrine is a place of worship which has been visited by people of all faiths in Palestine for ages. Jews believe that the remains of their prophet Joseph or Yousuf were buried here. However, local Palestinians believe it to be a shrine of a 18th century local saint, Sheikh Yusuf Dawiqat.
Since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, extremist right-wing settlers have tried to claim exclusive access to the shrine. They regularly try to storm the area under heavy security cover which is resisted by the Palestinians.
Israeli occupation forces had stormed the area in the early morning of Thursday and closed the Amman street in the city with dirt mounds, blocking the movement of Palestinian residents. They fired on the Palestinians resisting their presence with live bullets, rubber bullets, and tear gas shells.
The four wounded with live bullets were transferred to a hospital. Two of them are reportedly in a serious condition.
The Israeli occupation forces also targeted journalists trying to cover the incident with tear gas shells.
The Palestinian Red Crescent claimed that occupation forces prevented their ambulances from reaching the victims of tear gas firing, which led to over two dozen Palestinians including a 12-year-old child experiencing suffocation. The Israeli forces also fired at an ambulance carrying a patient in the area, Wafa reported.
?During an incursion in #Nablus overnight, Israeli forces fired a rubber-coated steel bullet at an ambulance while it was transporting a sick #Palestinian, according to @PalestineRCS.
Another ambulance was denied access to a 12-day old infant who suffered tear gas inhalation. pic.twitter.com/oSshPlgISy
— Medical Aid for Palestinians (@MedicalAidPal) July 20, 2023
The raid on Nablus follows one in Jenin earlier this month in which 12 Palestinians were killed and approximately 100 others injured. Thousands of Palestinians were displaced due to the raid as it also caused damage to civilian infrastructure.
At least 11 Palestinians were killed in Nablus during a similar raid by Israeli occupation forces in February.
A total of 195 Palestinians, including 33 children, have been killed by the Israeli occupation forces since the beginning of the year.
