Image Credits : The Wall Street Journal
Nine people, including a senior Hamas military leader, were killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank. The first attack targeted a vehicle carrying Haitham Balidi, a leader of the Qassam Brigades in the Nablus region, as well as another individual associated with the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Medical sources confirmed Balidi’s death to Al Jazeera, adding that family members of the victims were at a Tulkarem hospital identifying the bodies, which had been dismembered in the attack. The Israeli military described the vehicle as containing a “terrorist squad” but provided no further details.
A second airstrike, a few hours later, targeted a vehicle in Bal’a, east of Tulkarem, killing four more people, according to the Wafa news agency. This incident was part of a broader escalation in Israeli airstrikes and raids across the West Bank, which have intensified since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7.
Israeli forces also conducted raids in various West Bank towns, including Tulkarem, where they demolished infrastructure and clashed with Palestinian fighters. During these operations, Israeli soldiers used tear gas against journalists covering the raids.
Since the start of the Gaza conflict, Israeli airstrikes have surged, with at least 29 strikes recorded in the West Bank that have resulted in over 80 Palestinian deaths. The ongoing violence has led to significant disruptions in civilian life, including water shortages and power outages, according to the UNRWA agency for Palestinian refugees.
The Israeli military’s incursions and mass arrests have become a near-daily occurrence. Over 9,300 Palestinians have been detained, with 3,400 held in administrative detention, a controversial practice allowing prolonged detention without formal charges.
The conflict’s impact on daily life in the West Bank has drawn international concern. In a recent ruling, the International Court of Justice deemed Israel’s occupation of the West Bank as unlawful, though the ruling remains non-binding.