Armed Clashes Erupt in Nablus Amid Ongoing Israeli Raids
On December 18, 2024, armed clashes broke out in Nablus as Israeli forces conducted a raid in the area, leading to confrontations with Palestinian resistance fighters. The clashes began shortly after Israeli troops entered Nablus and its surrounding camps via the At-Tur checkpoint. Reports indicate that the situation escalated as Israeli forces stormed the vicinity of Balata camp, located east of Nablus, which is situated in the northern West Bank.
In a related incident, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that a young man sustained facial injuries after an Israeli military vehicle attempted to run him over in western Nablus. Concurrently, Israeli forces also targeted the old Askar camp, the town of Rojib, and the Ein camp, further intensifying the conflict in the region.
Increased Tensions Across the West Bank
The violence was not limited to Nablus. Early on the same day, Israeli occupation forces raided the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, and engaged with Palestinian youths who confronted them. Footage shared on social media showed Palestinian resistance fighters using incendiary devices against military vehicles, leading to one military jeep catching fire. Additionally, reports emerged of clashes in the town of Qaffin, north of Tulkarm, where resistance fighters targeted Israeli forces with an explosive device during a raid.
In the central West Bank, a Palestinian was reported injured by Israeli gunfire during a raid on the town of Abwein, north of Ramallah. Israeli forces also stormed the Abbasiya neighborhood in Silwan, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, further escalating tensions in the area. Local sources reported that Israeli forces were bulldozing lands in Iskaka, near the
Nove Nehemia
settlement, raising concerns about land appropriation in the region.
Mourning and Casualties
The day prior, on December 17, Palestinian crowds held funerals for three individuals, Muhammad Ashqar, Diaa Salmi, and Muhammad Abu Kishk, who were killed by Israeli forces. The funerals, which took place in Qalqilya and Nablus, were marked by chants condemning the actions of the Israeli occupation. Ashqar and Salmi were reportedly killed while attempting to cross the apartheid wall into Israel in search of work, while Abu Kishk, just 18 years old, was shot during an Israeli raid in the Masaken al-Sha’biya area.
The Palestinian Red Crescent highlighted that occupation forces obstructed ambulance access to Abu Kishk, leading to his death from injuries sustained during the raid. Since the onset of Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa on October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in the West Bank have resulted in over 800 Palestinian deaths, approximately 6,500 injuries, and the arrest of more than 11,000 individuals, according to official Palestinian data.
