Israel persists with operations in the West Bank - Commandeer of Islamic Jihad falls victim
Following an intense firefight, Israeli forces eliminated five militants who had been concealed within a mosque, as reported by Israeli authorities on Thursday. This encounter occurred early in the day within a refugee camp situated in the city of Tulkarem.
The Islamic Jihad faction announced that their top commander in the Nur Shams refugee camp, Mohammed Jaber, also known as Abu Shujah, leader of the Al-Quds brigades in Tulkarem, was among those who perished during the conflict alongside several of his brigade members nearby Israeli soldiers.
The day prior, the Israeli military claimed responsibility for eliminating nine fighters during simultaneous raids in Tulkarem, Jenin, Tubas, and their respective refugee camps. However, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported a total of fifteen fatalities since the commencement of the Israeli military operation.
Journalists from AFP news agency reported that Israeli forces focused their operations on the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem. The Israeli forces reportedly left the al-Faraa camp in Tubas, where several Palestinians lost their lives during the Wednesday raid.
At least 45 individuals have been taken into custody as a result of the Israeli military operation, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an "immediate halt" to the Israeli operation via Twitter.
Israel launched this large-scale operation in response to a "significant surge in terrorist activities" during the previous year, including more than 150 shooting and bombing attacks originating from the targeted zones. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid noted that the operation aimed to "dismantle the Iranian-Islamist terror network" in the region.
Since the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has worsened.
In connection with a violent incident involving Israeli settlers, who attacked a Palestinian village in the West Bank two weeks prior, the Israeli army acknowledged their “mistake” on Wednesday. Armed settlers raided the village of Jit, setting vehicles ablaze and hurling Molotov cocktails. One Palestinian was slain, and another was injured. The Israeli army admitted that it failed in securing the village residents.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell cautioned against the Israeli military operation in the West Bank potentially serving as a precursor to an escalation of the war from the Gaza Strip. Borrell suggested adding Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the EU sanctions list, in response to their "inappropriate hate messages" against Palestinians. However, both Hungary and Italy opposed this penalty.
Israeli military operations against Palestinian militants continued in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as reported, with "dozens" being neutralized in house-to-house combat and airstrikes, according to Israeli sources. A fighter in the Khan Yunis area, involved in the Hamas attack on October 7, was among the fatalities.
Relatives of the Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza gathered near the border, attempting to make contact with the hostages via loudspeaker announcements. Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of a hostage, cried out to her son, "Hersh, it's Mom. I pray to God to bring you back now. I love you – stay strong."
During the rally, approximately 20 individuals approached the Gaza Strip border, some shouting, “We’re coming.” However, they were ultimately stopped by Israeli soldiers.
The Commission expressed their concern over the escalating situation in Tulkarem and urged both sides to de-escalate the conflict. The international body, The Commission, also called for an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations reported during the Israeli military operations.
