By In a sombre pre-dawn incident, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians in the West Bank on Sunday, as confirmed by the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli army acknowledged its involvement in what it described as “counter-terrorism” operations within the occupied territory.
Violence associated with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has escalated since early last year, with a particular surge in the West Bank. The latest casualties bring the total number of Palestinians killed in Israeli incursions since Tuesday to eight.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, the two Palestinians lost their lives due to live bullets fired by Israeli forces in the town of Tulkarem. Concurrently, the Israeli army reported that one of its soldiers had been “moderately injured by gunshot fragments” during clashes in the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem.
Israel has been conducting intensified military operations, primarily in the northern region of the occupied West Bank, for the past 18 months. These actions are portrayed as efforts to root out Palestinian resistance fighters and prevent future attacks.
It’s important to note that the Israeli army has maintained military control over the West Bank, where approximately three million Palestinians reside, for 56 years.
In July, Israel launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp and causing injuries to around 100 others.
The Israeli army stated, “During the activity, suspects opened fire and hurled explosive devices at the forces who responded with live fire.”
In recent months, there has been a notable increase in military raids and Palestinian attacks on Israelis, along with a rise in settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War of 1967. The United Nations has identified 2023 as the deadliest year for Palestinians since it began recording casualties in 2006.
This year alone, more than 200 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli actions, as reported by the Health Ministry. During the same period, at least 35 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks.
The Palestinian aspiration for an independent state includes a demand for Israel to withdraw from all the land occupied during the Six-Day War and the dismantling of Jewish settlements. However, the hard-right coalition government, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has pursued an expansion of settlements. Notably, members of the government include settlers, including extreme-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
