Israeli forces killed three men in attacks in the Occupied West Bank on Wednesday night (15) and Thursday morning (16) while patrolling currency exchange offices, sources from the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Authority.
Ayman Ahmad Mubarak, 26, Husam Imad Da'bas, 22, and Mohammed Yusif Nasrallah, 27, were killed when Israeli forces entered the town of Tulkarm.
When contacted by Reuters, the Israeli military did not comment.
Tulkarm is a critical city in the West Bank, where violent clashes between Israeli occupation forces and Palestinians were already escalating even before the war in Gaza began in October.
The raids also took place in the provinces of Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Tubas and Qalqilya, and included more than a dozen arrests, the Palestinian Monetary Authority said in a statement.
Rising violence in the West Bank, the largest and most populous Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation, risks escalating as the war in Gaza continues.
Since the beginning of this conflict, triggered by the October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militants, there have been regular attacks by the Israeli army and Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages. There were also episodes of violence by Palestinians against Israelis.
Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested and hundreds have been killed during Israeli army and police operations. Some of the victims were members of armed groups. Others were young people who threw stones at the troops or civilians with no connection to the dispute.
The Palestinian Monetary Authority condemned the raids on exchange offices, saying money was confiscated and workers were interrogated.
The stores are “subject to the supervision of the Monetary Authority and are subject to strict governance standards”, said the person responsible for the entity, Feras Milhem, in a statement.
Hani Abu Moyes, owner of a currency exchange company called al-Khaleej with 11 branches, said several of his employees had been detained. He accused Israeli forces of carrying out the attacks to obtain money.
“We don’t do anything illegal and we work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Monetary Authority,” he said by phone. “So far I have not finished calculating how much money was confiscated, but the amount is large.”
Currency exchanges are an important part of the West Bank's financial landscape.
Many Palestinians in the territory prefer US dollars or Jordanian dinars for large purchases such as land, houses or vehicles, although Israeli shekels are used in daily life. Many also have relatives who live and work abroad and use these money changers as a way to send money home.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
