The funeral procession for a group of Palestinian citizens slain by Israeli soldiers in Nablus has drawn thousands of mourners. Nablus is located in the West Bank, northern regions.
Two of the men were civilians who were on their way back home from barbershop, according to witnesses and reporters. Israeli special troops opened fire on them, killing them on the road.
The other three guys were members of the Lions’ Den armed resistance movement, which had its headquarters in Nablus’ Old City. The organization has become a focal point for opposition to Israeli occupation.
The death of a sixth guy occurred later on Tuesday morning. In the village of Nabi Saleh, which is located on the western fringes of Ramallah, Qusai al-Tamimi was resolving conflicts with the Israeli army.
As they grieved the six slain, millions of Palestinian people in the West Bank participated in a countrywide strike. All towns had early classrooms and retail closings.
Over the last year, Israeli police have conducted daily raids, detention, and assassinations in the West Bank villages of Nablus and Jenin. The underlying cause of the Israeli aggression is the development focus of tiny armed resistance organizations in the two cities.
A 25-year-old Nablus Palestinian who saw the raid claimed that while Israeli killings in Nablus have grown commonplace, today’s incident was unusual. “At the funeral for the men, the people were crying hysterically. People are going crazy. Hundreds of people were at the Rafidia hospital in Nablus, where the injured and martyrs were coming in.”
Another journalist working in Nablus spoke of “an extraordinarily enormous funeral” and the unrest there. “There are large numbers of armed men on the streets firing non-stop live ammunition into the air. The air of rage is very evident. Everyone is on strike. Everything is closed,” Hazem Nasser said.
Incessant Violence Before the Funeral
Few minutes past midnight on Tuesday, Israeli special forces stormed Nablus utilizing a large number of armored vehicles. Palestinian resistance militants and security forces of the Palestinian Authority (PA) engaged in combat.
In the Old City of Nablus, hundreds of young people erupted onto the streets, several of them hurled rocks at the Israeli army. At least 21 Palestinians were hurt, including a PA security guard and four others who are in serious state.
Al-Hawa and Baghdadi were held hostage in a house in the Old City; al-Hawa was thought to be the highest ranked leader among those who were slain. According to locals, drones firing rockets were used by Israeli soldiers to strike the structure. A missile attack that targeted Qayyem’s automobile resulted in his death.
The Nablus province has been under blockade for a fortnight by the Israeli military troops. Around 420,000 Palestinians were subjected to severe limitations on their freedom of movement, while Israeli assaults against Palestinians increased significantly.
Israeli authorities are looking for shooter suspects while the siege is being enforced. Northwest of Nablus, close to the town of Shavei Shomron, a shooting claimed the life of one Israeli soldier. The freshly founded Lions’ Den organization took ownership, and the perpetrator is still at large.
With an increase in gunshots against Israeli military roadblocks and troops over the recent months, tensions in the West Bank have risen dramatically. Three Israeli troops have died in separate incidents in the September.
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Palestinian people went on a widespread national strike before the funeral. It took place following the killing by Israeli troops of a 22-year-old guy who was suspected of opening fire at a checkpoint.
