Israeli Army Incursion in West Bank: Two Palestinians Killed, Escalation in Violence

Two Palestinians Killed by Israeli Army in West Bank Incursion

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported that two Palestinians were fatally shot by the Israeli army during a dawn incursion into the West Bank on Sunday.

Tensions have been escalating in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since last year, particularly in the occupied West Bank, where eight Palestinians have been killed in Israeli incursions since Tuesday.

Details of the Incident

According to the ministry, the two Palestinians were shot in the head in the city of Tulkarm by Israeli occupation forces.

The Israeli army stated that one of its soldiers was moderately injured by gunshot fragments during clashes in the Nour Shams refugee camp near the town.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the two victims as Aseed Abu Ali (21 years old) and Abdel Rahman Abu Daghash (32 years old).

Hamas, the Palestinian political movement, claimed that one of the victims, Asid Abu Ali, was one of their fighters.

Ibrahim Al-Nimr, a representative of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in the camp, stated that the army entered the camp in the early morning, demolishing streets and houses.

The army reported that they dismantled an alleged operations command center inside one of the buildings, which contained surveillance devices, computers, and technological devices.

An Escalation in Army Raids

During a visit to the Nour Shams camp after the raid, an Agence France-Presse journalist witnessed extensive damage to one of the buildings, with collapsed roofs and walls.

This raid followed a previous one on September 5, during which a member of the Islamic Jihad armed group was killed.

In recent months, there has been an increase in military raids and Palestinian attacks on Israelis, as well as settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

In July, the Israeli army conducted a major raid on the Jenin refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 Palestinians, including militants and children.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War in 1967, with approximately 490,000 Israelis currently living in settlements deemed illegal under international law.

The Palestinians, who seek an independent state, demand Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied territories and the dismantling of Israeli settlements.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government has continued to expand settlements.

After a meeting in Beirut, three Palestinian factions – Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – called for increased resistance against “the escalating Zionist aggression.”

The Israeli army has also decided to send a battalion to reinforce the Gaza Strip following a security assessment.

Violence in Gaza

In addition to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip has also witnessed a recent surge in unrest. Palestinians in Gaza organize daily protests along the border with Israel.

On Saturday, the Israeli army carried out a drone strike in response to violent protests, resulting in three Palestinians being injured by gunfire.

This strike was part of a series of attacks that occurred after Israel closed the Erez crossing, the only pedestrian crossing from Gaza into Israel.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, since September 13, six Palestinians have been killed and around 100 others injured during border violence.

Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel has imposed an air, land, and sea blockade on the impoverished Palestinian coastal enclave.

So far this year, at least 241 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.