Latest news with #HamdahSalhut
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Israeli forces raid foreign exchange shops in occupied West Bank; one dead
Israeli forces have raided money exchanges across the occupied West Bank, using live fire and tear gas as they stormed the city of Nablus, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding more than 30. Exchange shops in the cities of Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron Arrabeh, el-Bireh, Bethlehem, Jenin and Tubas were attacked on Tuesday, residents said. In the northern city of Nablus, Israeli soldiers raided a foreign exchange belonging to the Al-Khaleej company and a gold store, according to local media reports. They also fired smoke bombs in the centre of Jenin, and streets were closed in Tubas and Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Ramallah-based Ministry of Health said one man was killed and eight injured by live ammunition during a raid in Nablus. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it treated 20 people for tear gas inhalation and three injured by rubber bullets. The raids on foreign exchanges came as Israel continued its intensified military campaign in Gaza, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians since the war began on October 7, 2023, as tens of thousands of people starve in the besieged Army Radio on Tuesday said Israel conducted the raids on foreign exchanges on suspicions that the shops supported 'terrorism'. The radio station also said the operation resulted in the confiscation of large amounts of money designated for 'terrorism infrastructure' in the West Bank. 'Israeli forces are taking action against Al-Khaleej Exchange Company due to its connections with terrorist organisations,' a leaflet left by Israeli forces at the company's Ramallah location read. Al Jazeera's Hamdah Salhut said Israeli authorities have not released an official statement yet but an official talked to the Israeli media about the raids. 'This official said earlier that Israel 'believes' – not that it has any evidence or proof – but 'believes' that these cash exchange places are funnelling money to what they call terror organisations,' said Salhut, who was reporting from Amman, Jordan, because Israel has banned Al Jazeera from reporting from Israel and the West Bank. 'The people who own these shops say they were not given any sort of proof by the Israeli military,' she added. Salhut said it was the fourth time such raids have taken place since the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza. 'The first time was in December of 2023 when five different cash exchange places were raided by the Israeli military and they seized nearly $3m,' she said. 'It happened again in August 2024 and again in September of that same year.' Hamas denounced the Israeli raids, saying they 'constitute a new chapter in the occupation's open war against the Palestinian people, their lives, their economy, and all the foundations of their steadfastness and perseverance on their land'. 'These assaults on economic institutions, accompanied by the looting of large sums of money and the confiscation of property, are an extension of the piracy policies adopted by the [Israeli] occupation government,' the Palestinian group said in a statement, adding that the targeted companies were 'operating within the law'. Hamas urged the Palestinian Authority to take measures against the Israeli attacks. Separately, the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement said the raids are 'part of the open war against our people, targeting their very existence and cause'. The group also urged the Palestinian Authority to 'defend' Palestinians from such attacks and 'halt its policy of security coordination' with Israel.
Qatar Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
EU, Arab diplomats come under Israeli fire in Jenin
Agencies occupied west bank A diplomatic delegation from the European Union, Arab and Asian nations has come under Israeli fire while visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and numerous countries confirm. The diplomats were undertaking an official mission on Wednesday to assess the humanitarian situation in Jenin as a wide-scale Israeli military assault there, which has caused deaths and displacement, enters its fourth month. The Israeli army said its soldiers fired warning shots to move the delegation away because it had deviated from a previously agreed route and entered an area it was not authorised to be in. There were no injuries. The commander of the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank ordered Israeli officers to speak with representatives of the delegation's countries, 'and will soon hold personal conversations with the diplomats and update them on the findings of the initial investigation conducted on the matter', the military said in a statement. Al Jazeera's Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, because Al Jazeera has been banned from the West Bank and Israel, said the incident shows the reality on the ground and anyone in the occupied West Bank can come under Israeli fire. 'These places in the Palestinian territory have come under complete siege – tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been forcibly uprooted from their homes as part of the ongoing military raids in Jenin, Tulkarem and in surrounding areas in the north of the occupied West Bank,' she added. Videos on social media show delegation members giving media interviews when shots are heard ringing out close to the group and forcing it to run for cover. Footage verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking agency also showed two Israeli soldiers standing nearby with their rifles pointing towards the diplomats. About 20 diplomats were being briefed at the time about the situation in Jenin, an aid worker speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press news agency. Witnesses said it was unclear where the shots came from and no one was injured. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned in 'the strongest possible terms the heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces, which deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation'. Other European and Arab governments added their own condemnations with calls for answers. Turkiye's foreign ministry condemned the firing 'in the strongest terms' and said Ankara was calling for an immediate investigation and for accountability. 'This attack, which endangered the lives of diplomats, is yet another demonstration of Israel's systematic disregard for international law and human rights,' the ministry said in a statement, adding a diplomat from its own consulate in Jerusalem was among the delegation. France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that he would summon the Israeli ambassador. Barrot, writing on X, called the incident 'unacceptable' and said the ambassador would be required to explain. Simon Harris, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, said, 'I am shocked and appalled at reports that the IDF fired shots in the vicinity of a visit to Jenin today by a group of diplomats, including two Irish diplomats based in Ramallah. Fortunately, no-one was hurt. This is completely unacceptable and I condemn it in the strongest terms.' The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation demanded 'an immediate and transparent' investigation into the incident. Ireland and Spain have been two of the strongest pro-Palestine voices in the EU, calling for an end to the Israeli war in Gaza and the suffering of the population in the enclave and in the West Bank. The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded an explanation, saying its vice consul was among those who came under fire. Israel's ambassador to Italy will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to explain. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said firing even warning shots was unacceptable. Jenin – along with Tulkarem and Nur Shams – has been the main focus of a large-scale Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank since January.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EU, Arab diplomats come under Israeli fire in occupied West Bank's Jenin
A diplomatic delegation from the European Union, Arab and Asian nations has come under Israeli fire while visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and numerous countries confirm. The diplomats were undertaking an official mission on Wednesday to assess the humanitarian situation in Jenin as a wide-scale Israeli military assault there, which has caused deaths and displacement, enters its fourth month. The Israeli army said its soldiers fired warning shots to move the delegation away because it had deviated from a previously agreed route and entered an area it was not authorised to be in. There were no injuries. The commander of the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank ordered Israeli officers to speak with representatives of the delegation's countries, 'and will soon hold personal conversations with the diplomats and update them on the findings of the initial investigation conducted on the matter', the military said in a statement. Al Jazeera's Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, because Al Jazeera has been banned from the West Bank and Israel, said the incident shows the reality on the ground and anyone in the occupied West Bank can come under Israeli fire. 'These places in the Palestinian territory have come under complete siege – tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been forcibly uprooted from their homes as part of the ongoing military raids in Jenin, Tulkarem and in surrounding areas in the north of the occupied West Bank,' she added Videos on social media show delegation members giving media interviews when shots are heard ringing out close to the group and forcing it to run for cover. Footage verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking agency also showed two Israeli soldiers standing nearby with their rifles pointing towards the diplomats. About 20 diplomats were being briefed at the time about the situation in Jenin, an aid worker speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press news agency. Witnesses said it was unclear where the shots came from and no one was injured. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned in 'the strongest possible terms the heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces, which deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation'. Other European and Arab governments added their own condemnations with calls for answers. Turkiye's foreign ministry condemned the firing 'in the strongest terms' and said Ankara was calling for an immediate investigation and for accountability. 'This attack, which endangered the lives of diplomats, is yet another demonstration of Israel's systematic disregard for international law and human rights,' the ministry said in a statement, adding a diplomat from its own consulate in Jerusalem was among the delegation. France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that he would summon the Israeli ambassador. Barrot, writing on X, called the incident 'unacceptable' and said the ambassador would be required to explain. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation demanded 'an immediate and transparent' investigation into the incident. The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded an explanation, saying its vice consul was among those who came under fire. Israel's ambassador to Italy will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to explain. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said firing even warning shots was unacceptable. Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also condemned 'in the strongest terms the occupation forces firing at a diplomatic delegation including more than 25 Arab and European ambassadors in Jenin. … Firing at the diplomatic delegation is a clear violation of international and humanitarian laws and a crime against all diplomatic norms.' 'We call on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and compel Israel to stop its aggression on Gaza and its escalation in the West Bank,' its statement posted on X said. Jenin – along with Tulkarem and Nur Shams – has been the main focus of a large-scale Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank since January. Since then, Israeli forces have accelerated an already ongoing process of enforced mass displacement, home demolitions and mass arrests of Palestinians. About 40,000 Palestinians remain displaced in the northern West Bank, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Al Jazeera
06-02-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Violent Israeli raids forcibly displace 26,000 Palestinians in West Bank
Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced and dozens of homes have been demolished after more than two weeks of deadly Israeli siege and raids in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, including Jenin refugee camp. 'The Israeli army says they have launched a 'counterterrorism' operation to combat armed Palestinian fighters. But if you look at what is going on, you have 26,000 Palestinians who have been forcibly displaced, forced to leave their homes,' said Al Jazeera's Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan. 'The Israeli army has detonated homes in Jenin, Tulkarem and now Nablus. The army says some of these homes were used for military infrastructure but did not provide any sort of evidence to prove those claims. 'The Israeli army is levelling residential blocks, mirroring essentially what they have been doing in Gaza, detonating homes and killing many Palestinians,' Salhut said. The Israeli military has destroyed vast swaths of Gaza and killed more than 47,000 people, including at least 25,000 children and women, although authorities in Gaza updated the death toll to 61,709 earlier this week to account for the 14,222 people missing and presumed dead. Israeli forces have killed more than 70 people, including 10 children, in the occupied West Bank since the start of the year, the Palestinian Ministry of Health says. At least 38 people have been killed in Jenin alone, according to the ministry's tally released on Monday. 'Since Gaza ceasefire was announced on January 19 it [Israel] has conducted large scale operations across West Bank, saying it was also one of the goals of the war to combat armed Palestinians. But Palestinians say it's the civilians who are facing the brunt of Israeli army incursions,' the Al Jazeera correspondent said. 'The Army has put up so many additional checkpoints throughout the territory that it has become nearly impossible for Palestinians to move around, they cannot go to school, they cannot go to work, they cannot go to hospital.' In a new report, Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, said that the healthcare system in the occupied West Bank has been in 'a state of perpetual emergency' since October 2023. 'A dramatic escalation in violence, marked by prolonged Israeli military incursions and stricter movement restrictions … have severely hindered access to essential services, particularly healthcare, exacerbating already dire living conditions for many Palestinians,' it said. The report examined 'the attacks and the obstructions of healthcare in a context of, what has been described by the ICJ (International Criminal Court) as segregation and apartheid'. It revealed 'a pattern of systematic interference by Israeli forces and settlers in emergency healthcare delivery'. The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 884 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023.
