Israeli army kills 5 Palestinians in West Bank

The death toll in the West Bank has risen to 205 since October 7, making it the deadliest period in the Israeli-occupied territory since the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s.

Israeli army attack causes 5 Palestinians to wear increased force on their arms photo 1 — Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank. Photo: F24

Israel says the crackdown is targeting Hamas, the group that rules Gaza, and other militant groups operating in the West Bank. But human rights groups say Israeli tactics, including deadly raids, home demolitions and arrests, are being carried out with increasing frequency.

Local journalists said the latest violence began on Thursday evening, when Israeli army trucks and bulldozers drove into the Jenin refugee camp and placed snipers on the roofs of several buildings. Gunfights broke out in several locations.

At one point, an Israeli aircraft targeted militants who were throwing explosives at Israeli forces, the Israeli military said. Air strikes, once a rare method of attack in the West Bank, have become increasingly common since the conflict began.

Three men, believed to be members of the militant group Islamic Jihad, were killed. Palestinian health officials said at least 15 others were injured, four of them seriously.

Also on Friday, two Palestinians fired at Israeli forces near the city of Hebron and were killed by Israeli fire, the Israeli military said. The incident came a day after three Palestinians killed an Israeli soldier and wounded three at a West Bank checkpoint before being shot dead.

The Jenin refugee camp, a densely populated urban area known as a rebel stronghold, has seen near-nightly Israeli attacks in recent days.

The Israeli military said on Friday it had mapped the homes of the checkpoint attackers. Israel said the demolitions would deter future attacks, but Palestinian rights groups criticized the move as collective punishment.

Quoc Thien (according to AP)

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