Israel army closes areas near Gaza citing reprisals risk
Jenin, Palestinian Territories (AFP):
Israel’s army closed areas near the Gaza border to civilians Tuesday, citing a risk of reprisals, following the overnight arrest of two senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad members, the military and Palestinian sources said.
A Palestinian security source, who requested anonymity, told AFP that one of those detained was Bassem al-Saadi, a senior figure in Islamic Jihad’s political wing in the West Bank.
The source identified the second person detained as Saadi’s son-in-law, a Jenin-based fundraiser for the militant group.
The Israeli military said it was preventing civilian access to areas near Gaza “due to a direct threat”.
Israel also closed its only border crossing for people entering or leaving Gaza, while the government said Prime Minister Yair Lapid was reviewing security.
As news of the deadly raid spread, crowds began to gather in Jenin refugee camp and the nearby city of Nablus, as supporters voiced solidarity with Islamic Jihad.
Home to some 2.3 million Palestinians, Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007 when Islamist group Hamas ousted forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
The latest unrest comes amid rising violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
At least 55 Palestinians have been killed since late March, mostly in the West Bank.
Amnesty International recently declared Israel guilty of the crime of apartheid against Palestinians.
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