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Israeli Military Targets Militants in West Bank Operation

In a significant military operation early Thursday, the Israeli Defense Forces reported the killing of five militants in the occupied West Bank, including Mohammed Jaber, also known as Abu Shujaa, a prominent figure within the Islamic Jihad militant group located in the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem.

Abu Shujaa had previously gained considerable local notoriety this year after he was erroneously declared dead during an Israeli operation. He made a dramatic return at a subsequent funeral for fellow militants, where he was celebrated by a crowd of supporters.

According to military statements, the militants were reportedly engaged in a shootout with Israeli forces after taking refuge inside a mosque. The Israeli military claimed that Abu Shujaa was implicated in several attacks against Israelis, notably a deadly shooting incident in June. Officials allege he was involved in planning additional attacks.

During the operation in Tulkarem, Israeli forces also apprehended another militant, and a member of Israel’s Border Police sustained minor injuries.

This operation followed a broader series of raids that commenced on Wednesday, which Hamas reported resulted in the deaths of ten of its fighters throughout various locations in the West Bank. Additionally, the Palestinian Health Ministry noted an eleventh casualty, though it did not specify whether this individual was a militant or a civilian.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced the military actions as a “serious escalation” of violence. This uptick in conflict has been closely tied to the broader tensions ignited by Hamas’s attack from Gaza on October 7.

Palestinian officials have reported that at least 652 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli military operations in the West Bank over the past ten months. Many of these fatalities have occurred during the frequent near-nightly raids executed by Israeli forces. The Israeli government argues that these operations are essential for dismantling Hamas and other militant groups to thwart attacks on Israeli citizens. Conversely, many Palestinians perceive these military actions as a precursor to an expanded conflict that could displace them further.

Nur Shams is part of a network of refugee camps established in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, during which approximately 700,000 Palestinians either fled or were forcibly removed from their homes in what is now recognized as Israel. Israeli authorities contend that numerous camps have evolved into strongholds for militants.

Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has maintained control over the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, territories that Palestinians envision as integral to a future independent state. Presently, about three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under what many describe as prolonged Israeli military governance, although the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administers many of the urban areas. Meanwhile, more than 500,000 Israeli settlers reside in over 100 settlements throughout the occupied territory, which are deemed illegal by most of the international community, including Canada. Reports indicate a marked rise in settler violence against Palestinians since the onset of the recent conflict.

Source
www.cbc.ca