Palestinian Father and Son Killed Amid Tensions in Jenin

A tragic incident occurred on Friday in Jenin, a city in the northern West Bank, where a Palestinian man, Mahmoud al-Hajj, and his son, Qassem, were killed. Local medical officials confirmed their deaths, while Mahmoud’s daughter was injured in the attack, which took place in the Jenin refugee camp. The camp, home to descendants of Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, has been a focal point in the ongoing tensions between Palestinian Authority security forces and armed terrorist groups in the region.

According to a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, the incident occurred outside the area of active operations where their forces are currently stationed. The PA blamed "lawless individuals" for the killings, with little detail about the circumstances. Wisam Bakr, the director of Jenin’s government hospital, confirmed the bodies were brought to local hospitals, but did not disclose further information.

This death is part of the broader ongoing PA operation in Jenin, which began on December 5, 2024, to combat armed groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Over the past month, at least eight Palestinians have been killed, including a member of the Jenin Brigades, a militant group. The PA operation has led to significant internal divisions among Palestinians, particularly between those who support the PA and those who view its actions as a betrayal, fearing a Gaza-style escalation.

In addition to the casualties in Jenin, Israeli forces conducted a raid on the Balata refugee camp, wounding seven people, two of them seriously. This raid added to the tension in the region, as reports continue to highlight the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank.

The PA's actions in Jenin, aimed at suppressing militant groups, have drawn criticism from local and international sources. Al Jazeera, a prominent news outlet, has been particularly critical of the crackdown, prompting the PA to temporarily suspend its broadcasts and activities in the *West Bank. This decision comes as part of ongoing tensions regarding media freedom and the portrayal of events in the Palestinian territories. The PA accused Al Jazeera of misinformation and incitement, a claim the network strongly rejected, asserting that the suspension was an attempt to suppress free journalism.