Israel’s armed forces killed at least nine Palestinians in a refugee camp on Thursday, including seven fighters and a 61-year-old woman, in the deadliest incident in the West Bank in two decades, Palestinian officials said.
The operation prompted the Palestinian rulers to cut their security ties with Israel, which could result in more violence.
The Israeli army also shot dead a 22-year-old Palestinian in another incident hours later.
Early on Friday, the Israeli army reported that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip, which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
Raid on Jenin refugee camp and retaliatory rocket fire raise possibility of major escalation in fighting between Israel and Palestinians, test new hardline Israeli government and cast shadow on secretary’s scheduled trip of US State Antony Blinken to the region next week.
The Palestinian Authority said it would suspend its security forces’ cooperation with Israel in a shared effort to contain Islamic extremists. Similar threats have only been short-lived because of the benefits that the relationship brings to authority and because of pressure from the United States and Israel to maintain it.