Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank overnight and into Wednesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
A 23-year-old man was shot dead in Tulkarem, while a 25-year-old man was killed in an airstrike on Jenin, where Israeli forces launched a major operation earlier this month. The ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its reports, provided no further details. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack from Gaza triggered the ongoing war. According to the Health Ministry, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed, including militants during Israeli raids, protesters, and civilian bystanders.
The conflict has also seen a rise in settler attacks against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek all three territories for a future independent state.
Meanwhile, Israeli security forces arrested 12 Palestinians in East Jerusalem late Tuesday, accusing them of celebrating the release of prisoners under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, authorities said.
Israel’s Shin Bet security service and police said the men were detained after videos showed them waving Hamas flags and firing guns in the air following the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities said the detainees violated bans on “expressions of joy” and “identification with Hamas” imposed since the ceasefire began.
A search uncovered Hamas flags, posters, fireworks, a BB gun, and cash, according to Israeli officials.
The ceasefire deal includes Hamas releasing 33 hostages captured during the Oct. 7 attack in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Palestinians widely regard these prisoners as resistance fighters against Israel’s decades-long occupation.
