Israeli police shooting in the West Bank leaves 2 Palestinian militant group members dead, 19 injured

Israeli police officers and special forces were involved in a shooting in the West Bank on Sunday that left two dead and more than a dozen injured, officials from Israel and the West Bank said.

Israeli forces said the shooting took place in the city of Nablus and that at least two armed Palestinians were killed after an hours-long exchange of gunfire.

No Israeli officers were injured in the shooting, officials said.

BIDEN MAKES HOLOCAUST GAFFE DURING ISRAEL VISIT

A witness said he heard Israeli officials calling for a single person in a house to surrender when gunshots rang out from the home, Reuters reported. The Israeli police returned fire, killing two, the witness said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent identified the deceased Palestinians as Aboud Sobh, 29, and Muhammad Al-Azizi, 22. Nineteen other Palestinians were wounded in the shooting.

Two of those who were injured are in critical condition, the local rescue service added.

The Fatah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant group claimed the two deceased members, Reuters reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid confirmed the shooting and said the suspects were “terrorists” wanted for their involvement in previous shootings.

“We won’t sit and wait for Israeli citizens to be harmed,” Lapid said. “We will go out and harm the terrorists in their homes.”

SECRET SERVICE MEMBER ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN ‘PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER’ IN ISRAEL PRIOR TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S TRIP

A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the shooting was a result of an “occupation” of Israeli troops in the region.

“The region will remain in a cycle of violence until the occupation is ended and a just peace achieved,” said spokesman Palestinian Authority Nabil Abu Rdeneh.

The shooting comes as Israeli forces have been conducting near-daily raids in the West Bank, sparking some backlash from local protesters. Recent clashes between protesters and the Israeli troops have escalated into violent exchanges, resulting in several deaths. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.