Tensions in Jenin: Rising Clashes Amid Palestinian Security Operations

A Palestinian man and his son were killed amid ongoing tensions in Jenin, a hotspot in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority's operations against armed groups have resulted in multiple casualties, deepening the rift among Palestinians and stirring fears of escalating conflict with Israel.

A Palestinian man and his son were killed in Jenin, a volatile area in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, local medical officials reported on Friday. This incident occurred amid a prolonged standoff involving Palestinian security forces and militant groups in the town.

In a separate incident, a security forces officer died, which Palestinian Authority (PA) officials described as an accident, raising the death toll of security personnel to six since the operation began on December 5. The PA refuted claims that its forces were responsible for the deaths of the 44-year-old man and his son, who were reportedly shot while on their home's roof in the Jenin refugee camp.

The PA's month-long operation targets armed groups deemed 'outlaws' in Jenin, aiming to curb their influence in the region. This effort has intensified divisions among Palestinians in the West Bank, where there is limited support for the PA, amid fears of a Gaza-like conflict with Israel.

(With inputs from agencies.)