Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinian militants in intensified operations across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, following the killing of three Israelis near a Jewish settlement the previous day, according to the Israeli military.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that an 18-year-old was killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight in Tamun, a town northeast of Nablus, while a 40-year-old was shot dead in the nearby village of Taluza.
The Israeli military stated that after a clash with militants in the Tamun area, its warplanes carried out strikes, killing two fighters. The official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, also confirmed a second Palestinian was killed in the Tamun strike.
The military said a third militant was killed in a firefight in Taluza, with several others arrested in various incidents. Hamas’ armed al-Qassam Brigades confirmed that the man killed in Taluza was one of its fighters.
In addition, the Israeli military reported that one Israeli soldier was severely wounded in a gunfire exchange and was evacuated to the hospital.
Meanwhile, WAFA reported acts of revenge by Jewish settlers, including the setting of a vehicle on fire overnight and an attack on a Palestinian village.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated alongside the 15-month-long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. This has led to killings by Palestinian militants, increased Israeli military raids and airstrikes, and a rise in attacks by Jewish settlers.
Hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis have died.
In the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian Authority security forces have been conducting an operation against local militant groups for the past month, as Palestinian factions have also clashed.
The rising bloodshed presents a significant challenge for international mediators seeking to secure a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal in Gaza before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
In response to the killing of three Israelis on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened with senior military and security officials and approved a series of “offensive and defensive actions” in the West Bank, as well as measures to capture the individuals responsible for killing the Israelis.
WAFA reported that the Israeli military was setting up additional checkpoints, closing roads, and carrying out increased incursions and raids.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since it was captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Palestinians seek it to be part of a future independent state, but expanding Jewish settlements and the ongoing Gaza war have complicated the situation, fueling fears that Israel may seek to formally annex the territory.
