Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians during two raids in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian health officials. The raids targeted the cities of Jenin and Tubas, where the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of two men in Jenin and seven in Tubas.
The two men killed in Jenin were identified as Qassam Muhammad Jabarin, 25, and Asem Walid Balout, 39.
The Israeli military confirmed that operations were taking place in Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details. Palestinian militant groups reported exchanging fire with Israeli forces during the raids. Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, stated on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points, restricting access to hospitals, and causing significant damage to infrastructure in the Jenin camp, reports the Associated Press.
Palestinian health officials reported that more than 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, with many of the deaths resulting from Israeli raids targeting militant groups in Palestinian cities and towns.
Rescue of Israeli hostage
The Israeli military operations in the West Bank come a day after the military announced the rescue of Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, one of the hostages abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack. Alkadi was rescued in a “complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip,” as reported by the military on Tuesday.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike hit a cluster of tents housing displaced people near Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least eight people. The casualties included two brothers, aged 6 and 17, whose bodies were brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their grieving mother was seen cradling her sons at the hospital.
Escalating death toll in Gaza
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 40,534 Palestinian deaths in Gaza since the start of the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, with many living in overcrowded tent camps. Israeli strikes, which the military says target militants, continue to result in civilian casualties, further deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Israeli strike in Syria kills four near Lebanon border
In Syria, four people were killed in an Israeli strike on a car near the Lebanon border. The victims included a member of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, according to a Lebanese official. The ongoing regional conflict continues to see Israel targeting Iran-backed militants in Syria, although official comments on the strike were not immediately available.
The UN Security Council is set to vote on extending the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon for another year, amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The French-drafted resolution demands an immediate halt to hostilities and warns that further escalation could lead to a widespread conflict.
Houthi rebels in Yemen have blocked efforts to assist a Greek-flagged tanker ablaze in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon. The tanker, loaded with 150,000 tons of Iraqi crude oil, remains at risk of causing an environmental disaster. The U.S. is monitoring the situation but currently has no Navy ships in the vicinity to assist.
US and Qatar discuss ceasefire
High-level talks aimed at securing a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war have shifted from Cairo to Doha. White House senior adviser Brett McGurk has arrived in Doha for discussions with Qatari leaders, following intense negotiations in Egypt. The talks are focused on de-escalating the conflict and reaching an agreement to pause the war.