Israeli forces killed three Palestinian militants on Tuesday as military operations intensified across the occupied West Bank, following the killing of three Israelis near a Jewish settlement.
The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of an 18-year-old in an Israeli airstrike in Tamun, a town northeast of Nablus, and a 40-year-old who was shot in the nearby village of Taluza. According to the Israeli military, an airstrike killed two fighters in the Tamun area after clashes with militants. WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, also reported a second casualty in Tamun from the strike.
In Taluza, a third militant was killed in a firefight with Israeli forces. Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, identified the deceased as one of its members. The Israeli military stated that several individuals were arrested during various incidents throughout the region.
WAFA reported retaliatory attacks by Jewish settlers, including the burning of a Palestinian vehicle and attacks on a village overnight. Violence in the West Bank has escalated alongside the 15-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. This surge includes killings by Palestinian militants, intensified Israeli military raids and airstrikes, and increased attacks by Jewish settlers.
Casualties have mounted on both sides, with hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis killed during the unrest. The situation is further complicated by infighting among rival Palestinian factions.
The escalating violence creates additional challenges for international mediators attempting to broker a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal in Gaza. These efforts are pressing as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior military and security officials after Monday’s killing of three Israelis. He authorized a series of “offensive and defensive actions” in the West Bank, alongside measures to apprehend those responsible for the killings.
According to WAFA, the Israeli military has increased checkpoints, road closures, and incursions across the West Bank.
The West Bank has remained under Israeli occupation since its capture during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Palestinians seek to include the territory as part of a future independent state. However, expanding Jewish settlements and ongoing violence, including the war in Gaza, have deepened fears that Israel may seek to formally annex the territory, further complicating any path to peace.
reuters
