Five Palestinians killed in Israeli raid on Nablus

• Brock Ties

  Israel/Palestinian territories correspondent

At least five Palestinians were shot dead in an Israeli military raid last night in the city of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. More than 20 people were also injured, the Palestinian health ministry said. A sixth Palestinian was killed in a clash with Israeli soldiers near the city of Ramallah.

The target of the Israeli raid was a group of young Palestinian activists who call themselves “the lion’s den”. The group is suspected of being responsible for attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. The Israeli army reported last night that it had destroyed a building where the group was making bombs.

Shortly after midnight, heavily armed Israeli soldiers and secret agents entered the city center, local media reported. A shootout reportedly broke out after Palestinian troops spotted one of the soldiers. Among the dead, according to Palestinian sources, is at least one prominent member of the “Lion’s Den” organization. One of the other victims was reportedly unarmed.

The Israeli action in the alleys of the old city of Nablus sparked strong protests from Palestinian youth:

As Israeli military incursions into the occupied territories are the order of the day, last night’s incident was one of the deadliest of the year. In total, more than 120 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids aimed at arresting Palestinians in the West Bank this year. Israel stepped up its raids after 19 people were killed on the Israeli side in a series of attacks this spring.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he had contacted the United States to ask for help in ending Israel’s campaign of continued military incursions. “All of this will have dangerous and destructive consequences,” Abu Rudeineh told local Palestine television.

But Israeli Prime Minister Lapid said on the radio this morning that Israel was not deterred. “The moment they hurt us, Israeli soldiers and civilians, they must know that it will end badly,” he added.

Lapid spoke to . yesterday Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who also visited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Rutte is also speaking today with Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Legislative elections are on the agenda in Israel in a week.