Jenin – Ma‘an – Three Palestinians, including two activists from the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Al-Quds Brigades, were killed in armed clashes between a group of Palestinian armed men, and an Israeli undercover unit near the town of Silat al Harithiya, west of Jenin in the northern West Bank.
Eyewitnesses told Ma‘an‘s correspondent that the victims were Khalid ‘Aashour, aged 19, from the town of K‘far Dan, and Mahdi Abul Kheir, 28, and Ahmad Zayyoud, 24, both from Silat al Harithiya. The Palestinians were traveling in a white car, west of Jenin, and were near a forested area, when they were ambushed by an undercover Israeli unit. After a 15 minute clash, the three were killed.
The eyewitnesses added that, after the clash ended, further Israeli military reinforcements arrived at the scene, and prohibited Palestinians, including ambulances, from approaching the victims. After an hour, their corpses were transferred to the governmental hospital in Jenin.
Citizens from the town of Silat al Harithiya reported that Ahmad Zayyoud was a civilian, who had nothing to do with the Al-Quds Brigades, yet was travelling with the two armed men by coincidence.
Mahdi Abul Kheir was one of the local leaders in the Al-Quds Brigades, and is believed to be the main target of the Israeli "mestariveem" unit.