UPDATE 2 - Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinian brothers during raid in West Bank

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, HEADLINE, DECK, AND LEDE REVISED; TOTAL DEATH TOLL UPDATED IN BACKGROUND

By Ahmed Asmar and Mohammad Sio

Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinian brothers on Tuesday during a raid in the city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The ministry said it was informed by the General Authority for Civil Affairs—the official Palestinian liaison with Israel—that Nidal Ameira, 40, and Khaled Ameira, 35, were killed by Israeli gunfire in Nablus.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it had killed two Palestinians during an operation in the city but did not name them.

In a statement on X, the military claimed the two men allegedly tried to seize a soldier’s weapon during a search, resulting in a firefight that left one soldier moderately wounded and three others lightly injured. The troops responded with gunfire, killing the two people, the statement said.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa had reported that Israeli army forces shot and wounded four Palestinians, including two critically, during a military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.

Wafa said Israeli forces blocked ambulances and medics from reaching the site to evacuate those injured.

The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed that its medics treated dozens of people in the area, including three who sustained gunshot wounds.

Witnesses said Israeli forces searched several houses and shops in the area and detained several Palestinians.

According to witnesses, the Israeli army expanded its raid in the city to include the Balata refugee camp in eastern Nablus.

Nablus Mayor Ghassan Daghlas suspended work in all public institutions, schools, and universities in the city due to the Israeli raid.

Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, at least 976 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.