A rare clash erupted in the occupied West Bank as Palestinian security officers engaged and killed a gunman on Thursday. The circumstances of the incident were disputed, with the fighter’s faction characterizing it as an Israeli-style “assassination”.
According to Palestinian Authority security services spokesperson Talak Dweikat, a patrol sent to monitor Tulkarm overnight faced gunfire and retaliated, resulting in the gunman being hit. He later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
While videos circulated online depicting a car being struck by gunfire, Reuters was unable to immediately verify their authenticity.
Palestinian security force (Credits: The Economic Times)
A local armed group, identified as the Tulkarm and Nour Shams Camp Brigades, claimed the deceased, Ahmed Abu al-Foul, as their member with ties to the militant group Islamic Jihad.
They condemned the incident, alleging that al-Foul was targeted in his car without provocation, likening it to an assassination by Israeli special forces.
The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, maintains limited self-rule in the West Bank and occasionally cooperates with Israel on security matters.
One Killed in Rare Clash between Palestinian Security Forces (Credits: Asharq Al-Awsat)
However, some parts of the territory have experienced unrest and economic hardship, leading to tensions between the PA and Israel, exacerbated by Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Hamas, an ally of Islamic Jihad and the ruling authority in Gaza, criticized the PA’s security forces for their actions, denouncing what they described as attacks on Palestinian people and resistance fighters.
While clashes between Palestinian security forces and gunmen have occurred sporadically over the past year, fatalities are uncommon.
