Hamas wants ‘escalation of resistance’ after Israelis killed, soldiers injured

A Palestinian shooting operation near the occupied al-Quds has left at least three Israelis dead and over a dozen more injured.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has called for “an escalation of resistance” across the occupied territories.

In the first incident at the entrance into the city on Thursday morning, two Palestinians were involved.

Israeli police and ambulance service said 16 people were also injured.

Israeli media said the two attackers were brothers from East al-Quds: Murad Nimr, 38, and Ibrahim, 30. Both were shot dead by the regime’s forces.

Camera footage aired by Israel’s Channel 12 showed the moments of the attack.

Hamas has said in a statement “the operation came as a natural response to unprecedented crimes conducted by the occupation.”

“We confirm that this operation came as a natural response to the occupation’s unprecedented crimes, including brutal massacres in the Gaza Strip and the killing of children in Jenin, and the widespread violations to which our prisoners are exposed in the occupation’s prisons.”

The Palestinian Wafa news agency has reported Israeli soldiers raided the neighborhood of Sur Baher in East al-Quds where the attackers lived. The regime forces broke into their house, and detained some of their family members.

Meanwhile, Israeli minister Israel Katz has demanded the attackers’ family members lose identity cards, saying they must also be denied any other “allowances and privileges.”

On Thursday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the regime will continue to distribute weapons to settlers.

Netanyahu also vowed to continue the war on the besieged Gaza Strip. He made the remark after meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in al-Quds on Thursday. Blinken had already told Israeli leaders that a temporary truce with Hamas was “producing results” and should continue.

Separately in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said two soldiers were injured in a car ramming attack at a checkpoint. Troops at the scene “shot and neutralized the assailant,” it said. The attack was reportedly claimed by the armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the Gaza truce for a seventh day.

The initial 4-day truce went into effect on November 24. The truce agreement has so far seen the release of nearly 310 people from both sides.