An Israeli soldier was wounded in an exchange of gunfire overnight Tuesday during an Israeli army raid into Thinaba east of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army said, Maan reports.
An Israeli army spokesperson said a Palestinian gunman "opened fire" on the soldiers as they were conducting "routine activity" in Thinaba.
She said one soldier was wounded and evacuated for medical treatment. Israeli soldiers fired back at the gunman, who "fled the scene," she said.
Locals said they heard a "heavy exchange of gunfire" that lasted several minutes.
They said that the Israeli soldiers had stormed and ransacked a number of Palestinian homes near a cemetery in the neighborhood.
Following the gunfire exchange, Israeli troops declared Thinaba a closed military zone, using loudspeakers to notify the residents the area had been sealed.
Witnesses said several people were questioned about gunshots allegedly fired at Israeli settlers travelling in a vehicle on the main road near the illegal Avnei Hefetz settlement about a month ago.
Israeli forces were also reported to have detained seven local residents, identified as Thaer Mahmoud Assaf, 32, Kamil Kamal Ahmad, 23, his brother Mutasim, 22, Mumin Ahmad Abdullah, 25, Amjad Nasser Khreisha, 30, Uday Tayseer Irmeilat, 25, and Ahmad Qandil, 30.
