Four Palestinian schoolchildren wounded by Israeli fire in Nablus raid

According to reports, Israeli forces conducted military raids on Sunday in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus and near Bir Zeit, close to Ramallah, resulting in injuries to at least 20 Palestinians, including four schoolchildren. The raids occurred in the afternoon when the streets were crowded and students were preparing to return home from school.

Israeli special forces raided the old city of Nablus, surrounding a house and receiving support from additional military forces in the area. A widely circulated video showed a student with a backpack lying injured on the ground, unable to get up. He was subsequently seen crawling on the ground, while another person dragged a bleeding individual past him.

Journalist Samer Khweira, from the city, told Middle East Eye that Israeli forces raided the eastern market, immediately occupying more than 20 houses. They conducted on-the-spot investigations of the homeowners and restricted their contact with others. "The Israeli army fired heavily during the military operation, which coincided with peak hours when the market was crowded and schools were about to dismiss," he said.

During the raid, a loud explosion was heard, later confirmed to be caused by Palestinian militants detonating an explosive device targeting Israeli forces, although no casualties were reported. It was also reported that Israeli forces prevented medical teams from reaching the injured, some of whom bled for over an hour.

Ahmed Jibril, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Nablus, reported that 17 Palestinians were injured in the raid, including one with a serious pelvic injury. Among the injured were four students aged 15, 16, and 17. A Palestinian was also injured after being run over by an Israeli military vehicle. "Our crews were prevented from reaching the injured, and we had difficulty evacuating them from the scene, which was swarming with soldiers," Jibril said.

After four hours, Israeli forces withdrew from the city without making any arrests or providing an explanation. Meanwhile, in the town of Bir Zeit, near Ramallah, Israeli forces raided the Umm al-Sharayet neighborhood, firing bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that they treated an 11-year-old child who was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet during the raid. Medics also treated two people who suffocated due to inhaling tear gas. Soldiers also raided local shops, conducting on-the-spot investigations of the shopkeepers before withdrawing from the area.