Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Shoppers killed as Israeli tank opens fire in market

Phil Reeves
Friday 21 June 2002 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

At least three Palestinians – including two children – were killed yesterday when an Israeli tank fired shells into a West Bank market place in what army officials said was an attempt to disperse a crowd of people breaking the curfew.

At least three Palestinians – including two children – were killed yesterday when an Israeli tank fired shells into a West Bank market place in what army officials said was an attempt to disperse a crowd of people breaking the curfew.

The killings in Jenin came after Israeli troops invaded the town in response to a surge of Palestinian attacks in which 33 Israelis, mainly civilians, have been killed in three days.

Atrocities and despair have engulfed the region anew, overshadowing the latest frail American initiative even before President George Bush has unveiled it to the outside world.

The bloodshed in Jenin came less than a day after a Palestinian from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militia infiltrated a Jewish settlement near Nablus, broke into a house and shot dead five people, including a mother and three of her children inside their home.

As one horror follows another – claiming the lives of seven Israeli and Palestinian children in 15 hours – the focus switched yesterday to Jenin, a Palestinian town that has been repeatedly invaded by the Israeli army, which regards it as a hotbed of "terror" groups.

Palestinian medical officials said three people were killed – a 50-year-old education official, a boy aged six and a seven-year-old girl – when an Israeli tank fired shells and a machine-gun into a crowd that had gathered in Jenin's market to stock up on food. They said the crowd thought the Israeli military curfew on the town had been lifted for two hours.

The Israelis said the Palestinian crowd was not only breaking a curfew, but was advancing towards its forces, who were conducting a house-to-house search for a explosives. But it also said that a preliminary investigation had shown that the tank crew "erred in its action".

Four more Palestinians were killed elsewhere in the occupied territories yesterday.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in