Witnesses and medical personnel said that on Tuesday, after the arrest of two militants, Palestinian gunmen engaged in combat with PA security forces in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the death of one man.
Rival to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is supported by the West, the armed group Hamas claimed that the PA had detained two gunmen and one of its senior members who Israel had wanted.
There was no immediate response from the PA, which has come under fire from Israel and the US for not doing enough to control gunmen in militant hotspots like Nablus and the nearby city of Jenin.
According to witnesses, PA police sprayed tear gas at youngsters throwing stones. It was unclear right away whether the militant or PA fire killed the 53-year-old man during the confrontations.
Following a string of deadly Palestinian street attacks in Israel, Israel increased its raids into the territory, which led to an increase in violence in the West Bank.
While Israel claims it must operate there to stop further attacks and has asked that the PA take action against militants, PA authorities have claimed that the Israeli incursions damage their authority. US-sponsored negotiations for a Palestinian state with Israel broke down in 2014. Since that time, the PA’s domestic credibility has declined.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum stated that “the Palestinian Authority has established itself as an exclusive agent of the (Israeli) occupation against our Palestinian people.”
Regarding the most recent incident, the PA made no remarks. It has previously denied these accusations and accused Hamas of attempting to undermine them by provoking the populace.
