The military in Israel announced it had killed the head of the Palestinian armed group Hamas in Jenin and two other members of the terrorist group, as a major operation continued for a third day in the northern occupied West Bank.
Israeli security forces “encountered and eliminated” Wissam Khazemi in a vehicle, then carried out airstrikes on two other fighters as they tried to flee, according to a statement.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said the three men were killed overnight near the town of Zababdeh, southeast of Jenin.
Reports according to Palestinian media said that Israeli forces withdrew from Tulkarem after causing serious damage to buildings and infrastructure in the city’s refugee camps.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment but said on Thursday it had killed five members of the armed groups in Tulkarem, including its local leader.
The Israeli army, however, announced that its forces had withdrawn from the al-Faraa refugee camp, near Tuba, after achieving what it called the objective of defeating terrorism, uncovering the terrorist infrastructure and eliminating armed terrorists.
More than 19 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli operation started, which is one of the largest in the West Bank in two decades, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
As the war in Gaza rages, it is causing international concern.
On Friday, the UK said it was “deeply worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure”.
“The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday that the raids were “fuelling an already explosive situation”.
Violence has increased in the West Bank since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7 and following the war in Gaza.
Several Palestinians were killed as Israeli forces stepped up raids, saying they were trying to stop deadly Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank and Israel.
Source: BBC News
