Palestinians mourn dead from Israeli raids on Jenin in occupied West Bank

Palestinians have begun assessing the damage caused by a two-day Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank that left 12 people dead, including children.

The bodies of several Palestinians killed by Israeli troops were wrapped in black and green flags, placed on stretchers which were then hoisted on the shoulders of relatives and carried through the streets of downtown Jenin.

Local surgeon Usaeed Jabareen received a special commemoration from staff at the government hospital in the city.

Crowds lined a courtyard and stairwell, before holding a memorial for him in the courtyard outside.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said Israeli forces had killed 12 people including four children, and wounded 25 during the raid which began on Tuesday morning.

'We live in misery'

Israeli army routinely carries out raids in the city and the adjacent camp. This time, Israeli forces stayed in the camp for about two days.

Troops took over a two-storey sports centre, where foam mattresses were strewn around and chairs arranged in circles.

The army said it had raided the house of Ahmed Barakat, who they suspected of involvement in an attack on an Israeli civilian last year. Barakat's house was reduced to rubble in the operation.

Some of the structures had been completely destroyed, while others were less severely damaged.

West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has experienced a surge in violence for more than a year.

At least 518 Palestinians have been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or Jewish settlers since the Gaza war broke out, according to Palestinian officials.

On the roof of one of the damaged buildings, a teenage resident pointed out where an Israeli sniper had been positioned hours earlier.

Fayza Abu Qutna, 60, said she was tired of Israeli raids on the camp, where she has lived for decades.

"Every time they come to Jenin it is destroyed," she said. "We live in sadness, we live in misery."