Israeli forces kill four people in the West Bank, Palestinian officials say

Two children were shot dead by Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday during a raid on the northern West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Health Ministry and a camp official said.

The Palestinian Authority news agency, Wafa, said the two were Adam al-Ghoul, 8, and Basil Abu al-Wafa, 15.

Mohammed Sabbagh, the head of a leadership council in Jenin, said two members of armed groups were also killed during a raid by Israeli forces that began on Tuesday evening. Mr Sabbagh said Israeli forces surrounded the gunmen’s homes before killing them. He added that Israeli forces had searched houses in some parts of the raided area. That area, known as the Jenin refugee camp, was established in 1953 to house Palestinians displaced during Israel’s founding, and has become an urban environment known for its fierce opposition to Israel.

Asked to comment on the raid, the Israeli army said that “a number of suspects hurled explosives at its soldiers.” “The soldiers responded to the suspects with live fire and the hits were identified,” it added.

Wafa said that Israeli forces had also made a number of arrests in the camp, and that Israeli Defense Forces bulldozers had destroyed some of the infrastructure, including water, electricity and sewage networks.

Israeli forces also killed seven Palestinians, including two minors and at least one gunman, in the occupied West Bank this weekend, according to Reuters. reported. The Israeli military said in a statement at the time that “five terrorists have been eliminated” and that it had detained 21 people.

Tensions have risen in the West Bank since Hamas launched terrorist attacks from Gaza, the Palestinian territory it controls, on October 7, killing 1,200 people in southern Israel and taking about 240 hostage, Israeli officials said. Israel retaliated with bombings and a ground invasion of Gaza, and Gaza health authorities say more than 13,000 Palestinians were killed.

Since October 7, Israeli security forces have carried out daily raids in the West Bank and tightened restrictions on Palestinian residents in some parts of the area. According to the United Nations, violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has also reached record levels. According to Palestinian and Israeli reports, Israeli forces have arrested hundreds of Palestinians.

Hiba Yazbek contributed reporting from Jerusalem, and Johnatan Reiss from Tel Aviv.