Israel conducts first arrest operation in Jenin since deadly raid

Palestinian faction Jenin Al Qassam says two of its members among 12 detained in occupied West Bank city on Monday

Damaged cars at Jenin refugee camp after a two-day Israeli raid in early July. EPA

Israel's army said it arrested 12 people on Monday morning in Jenin, in the first operation since a deadly two-day raid in the city's camp earlier this month left 12 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier dead.

Among those arrested were two people wanted in connection with militant group Hamas, the Israeli army said. There was an exchange of gunfire during the operation, the Israeli army and Palestinian media said.

Armed Palestinian faction Jenin Al Qassam said two of its members – Rabea Al Sanori and Fathi Atoum – were arrested after a raid on their homes on Monday morning. Both men were previously arrested and released by Israel, it said.

The remaining 10 were arrested in different parts of the West Bank, the Israeli army said.

Earlier this month, Israeli forces entered Jenin in two-day raid, killing 12 people including four children, and causing millions of dollars worth of damage to roads, infrastructure and homes.

The raid also left more than 140 people injured.

At least 500 Palestinian families were displaced and more than 1,000 homes damaged or destroyed, UN figures say.

Last week Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner general for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, visited the camp for the first time since the raid. He said residents' needs were extremely high and the agency was searching for more sustainable solutions to the crisis.

Residents of the camp will be in extreme “despair” and “distress” if the UN’s pledge of $23 million to rebuild their homes is not met, he said.