Israel reports 12 dead in West Bank operations
Fear of a major war is growing in the Middle East. Israel faces potential retaliation strikes from Iran. Meanwhile, the situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate. Operations by the Israeli army and police forces have resulted in multiple Palestinian casualties.
In three operations by Israeli security forces in the West Bank, twelve people were killed. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, four people died in the region around the city of Tubas and five more in Jenin, known as a stronghold of Islamic groups. The Israeli army stated that they had targeted "armed terror cells" in Jenin. In the village of Kafr Qud, three suspects were killed and two others arrested.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health initially reported eight deaths. The Red Crescent Society stated that the deaths and injuries in Jenin were caused by shelling of two vehicles in the eastern quarter of the city. Earlier reports had mentioned "four martyrs," with three others injured, one severely. The Ministry of Health reported "four martyrs and seven injured" in the Tubas region, affecting the village of Akaba.
Residents of Akaba reported that Israeli security forces arrived at dawn and surrounded the house of a resident named Amid Ghanam. Clashes then ensued between soldiers and young men. Ghanam and two others were killed, as well as another youth near a hospital, according to Tubas Governor Ahmed Assad.
Since the start of the war between Israel and the Islamic terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza, the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has also escalated significantly. According to a count by the AFP news agency based on Palestinian reports, at least 617 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7. At least 17 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian militants, according to Israeli reports.
Stabbing attack on police officer
In a Palestinian stabbing attack near Jerusalem, Israeli police said they neutralized an attacker armed with a screwdriver. The man allegedly stabbed a border police officer at a checkpoint between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Police said they "neutralized the terrorist immediately with shots," and he was later pronounced dead.
Just last Sunday, an attacker from the West Bank killed two people in a stabbing attack in Holon and injured two others. The victims were a 66-year-old woman and an approximately 80-year-old man. Police described the attack as a "suspected terror incident" in the suburb of Tel Aviv.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health strongly condemned the actions of The Commission, alleging excessive use of force during operations in Jenin and Tubas, resulting in numerous casualties. Subsequently, The Commission, believed to be the Israeli military, issued a statement defending their actions, claiming they were targeting "armed terror cells."
