Israeli Forces Kill Six Palestinians in West Bank Operations

In a series of operations conducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank on September 11, 2024, at least six Palestinians lost their lives in separate incidents. The Israeli military reported that these actions were part of an extended campaign against militant groups in the area.

An airstrike in the city of Tubas, located in the northeastern part of the West Bank, resulted in the deaths of five individuals. The Israeli military stated that the men were armed with explosives and posed a threat to their forces. The operation also led to the destruction of weapons production facilities and a vehicle allegedly rigged with explosives. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, a national humanitarian organization founded in 1968, confirmed the recovery of five bodies from the site.

In a separate incident in Tulkarm, a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, Israeli troops, supported by police and intelligence services, reportedly killed an armed militant. However, no immediate confirmation was provided by any Palestinian armed factions regarding the affiliation of the deceased.

The ongoing Israeli operations have significantly impacted the daily lives of Palestinians in the affected areas. Qais Ambar, a resident of the refugee camp in Tulkarm, described the situation:

"The bulldozer swept the house, and the rubble covered my neighbour's house. They forced us to leave."

[[Refugee camp resident's account]]

These operations are part of a broader campaign that has been ongoing for the past two weeks in the northern West Bank, particularly in Tubas, Jenin, and Tulkarm. These cities are known to have a significant presence of armed factions, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah.

The violence in the West Bank has escalated since the start of the conflict in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023. According to Palestinian health authorities, more than 680 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since that date. On the Israeli side, approximately 40 troops and civilians have lost their lives in attacks by Palestinians or in clashes with fighters, based on figures from Israel's domestic security agency.

The West Bank, under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967, has been a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With a population estimated at 3.2 million in 2021 by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the territory has seen numerous cycles of violence and attempts at peace negotiations, including the Oslo Accords signed in the 1990s.

As tensions continue to rise, the international community remains concerned about the situation in the West Bank, which is considered occupied territory by most nations. The ongoing conflict has led to significant infrastructure damage and displacement of civilians, with many seeking refuge in city mosques and other shelters.