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JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank: Israeli Forces Kill Eight Palestinians Amid Fragile Ceasefire

In a 24-hour period, Israeli forces operating in the occupied West Bank have reportedly killed at least eight Palestinians, including one militant, according to Palestinian health officials. This surge of violence comes as a fragile pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip enters its third day.

Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, triggering a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, violence in the West Bank has surged. Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians and made hundreds of arrests in the region. Additionally, Jewish West Bank settlers have escalated their attacks on Palestinians.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that five Palestinians were killed in the militant stronghold of Jenin, while three others were killed in separate areas of the West Bank since Saturday morning. One of the victims, a teenager, was killed in al-Bireh, in the central West Bank.

The Israeli military claimed that it killed five Palestinians in a gunbattle during an operation in the Jenin refugee camp. The operation targeted a Palestinian suspected of killing an Israeli father and son at a West Bank car wash earlier in the year. According to the military, those killed were militants. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group confirmed that one of the deceased, identified as Asaad al-Damj, 33, was a member. However, the remaining victims were not immediately linked to any militant groups. The military stated that it was supported by air power, which struck and wounded armed Palestinians, without providing further details. The military is currently investigating the reports of the other incidents.

In the refugee camp, debris litters the streets of the densely populated urban neighborhood, with one house sporting a large hole in its wall. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that Israeli snipers were positioned on rooftops in the area, and military bulldozers were damaging roads and infrastructure. These reports are yet to be independently verified. The Israeli military, however, stated that it was using “engineering equipment” to uncover explosive devices buried under roads.

Following the Hamas assault, Israel imposed restrictions on the West Bank, including the closure of crossings and checkpoints between Palestinian towns, as part of its efforts to pursue militants.

The recent escalation of violence in the West Bank follows over a year of increasing raids, arrests, and deadly attacks between Palestinians and Israelis. Even before the Hamas assault, 2023 had already become the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank in over two decades.

Currently, Israel and Hamas have temporarily halted fire to allow for the entry of more aid into Gaza and facilitate a hostage release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of over 13,300 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza government, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Vast areas of the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, and approximately 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced.

In their surprise attack last month, Hamas and other Gaza militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took approximately 240 hostages. Since Israel commenced its ground invasion into Gaza shortly after the attack, several dozen soldiers have lost their lives.

Israel acquired the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, during the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians regard these territories as crucial components of their long-desired independent state.

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo.

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