Israeli Forces Kill Eight Palestinians, Including Fighter, in West Bank Clash

Accident – Death – Obituary News : JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — Israeli forces operating in the occupied West Bank have reportedly killed at least eight Palestinians, including one fighter, within a 24-hour period, 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 launched an attack on Israel on October 7, triggering a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, violence in the West Bank has escalated. Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians and arrested hundreds, while Jewish West Bank settlers have also increased their attacks.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed that five Palestinians were killed in the fighter 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 claims to have killed five Palestinians in a gunbattle during its operation in the Jenin refugee camp. This operation aimed to arrest 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 fighters. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group has claimed that one of the men, identified as Asaad al-Damj, 33, was a member, while the affiliation of the others has not yet been determined. The military also mentioned that it received air support, which struck and injured armed Palestinians.

The Israeli military has stated that it is investigating the reports of the other incidents. Meanwhile, in the refugee camp, the streets are filled with debris, and one house has a significant hole in its wall.

According to reports from the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli snipers have been positioned on rooftops, and military bulldozers have caused damage to roads and infrastructure. However, these reports have not been independently verified. The Israeli military has stated that it is using “engineering equipment” to uncover explosive devices buried under roads.

In response to the Hamas assault, Israel has imposed stricter measures in the West Bank, including the closure of crossings and checkpoints between Palestinian towns, as it seeks to pursue fighters.

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

The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas aims to allow more aid to enter Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. According to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza government, the Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of over 13,300 Palestinians. It is important to note that the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The Gaza Strip has witnessed extensive destruction, and around 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes.

Last month’s surprise attack by Hamas and other Gaza fighters resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 people in Israel, with around 240 taken hostage. Since Israel initiated its ground invasion into Gaza shortly after the attack, several dozen soldiers have lost their lives.

Israel gained control of the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, during the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians aspire to include these territories in their future independent state.

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