Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians, wound 1 in West Bank

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Israeli forces killed three Palestinians during a raid early Thursday in the West Bank city of Jenin and left another wounded.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Palestinian security forces put up resistance to the Israeli troops.

At least three people, including two from a Palestinian security unit, lost their lives.

Lt. Adham Elewi (23) and Cpt. Taysir Isa (33) worked for the military intelligence service, and Gamil Mahmud al-Amuri was a Palestinian who had previously served time in Israeli prison, the agency reported.

The injured Palestinian, also from the security unit, was taken to the hospital for treatment.

'Dangerous precedent'

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, warned that recent Israeli attacks could lead to a "dangerous escalation."

"The continued [Israeli] occupation's practices and the ongoing violations of the Palestinian people's rights and the daily killings will create tension and a dangerous escalation," Abu Rudeineh said in a statement quoted by WAFA.

Abu Rudeineh said he held the Israeli government fully responsible, urging the international community to provide protection for the Palestinian people.

He also appealed to the US to "pressurize Israel to stop its aggression, so that the situation doesn't reach an uncontrollable stage."

Talal Dwaikat, spokesman for the Palestinian security services, also blasted the Israeli army's targeting of a Palestinian security headquarters in the West Bank and the killing of two of its members as a "dangerous precedent."

Dwaikat told Anadolu Agency in a telephone call: "The new crime is exposing the true face of the Israeli occupation."

"What happened at dawn on Thursday is a reason for the Palestinian leadership to think deeply about what is required of all of us to protect our people and our security headquarters."

Israeli has yet to issue a statement on the deadly raid.

*Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara