Palestinians say Israeli forces kill two in West Bank raids

RAMALLAH, Palestine — The Palestinian health ministry said on Wednesday that Israeli forces killed two people in separate overnight raids in the occupied West Bank, including one in Jenin, where the Israeli military is conducting a major offensive.

The Ramallah-based ministry said in a statement that a 25-year-old man it identified as Osama Abu Al Hija was killed late on Tuesday in Jenin "as a result of an Israeli air strike".

The Israeli military launched an intensive military assault in the Jenin area, now in its eighth day to root out Palestinian militant groups.

The Israeli military on Monday said it had "eliminated over 15 terrorists" and arrested 40 wanted individuals during the offensive.

Abu Al Hija is the 16th person killed during the operation which has caused many residents of Jenin refugee camp, the focus of the operation, to flee the area after the army urged citizens to evacuate last week.

Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, the ministry of health also announced that a 23-year-old Palestinian man it identified as Ayman Naji was killed in the northern city of Tulkarem "after being shot" by Israeli forces.

The army told AFP it was looking into the details of both deaths.

Tulkarem, Jenin and their refugee camps are known as bastions of Palestinian militant groups, whose factions present themselves as a more effective alternative to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority in the fight against Israel.

Before the current Israeli operation, Jenin's refugee camp was the site of a long operation by the Palestinian Authority's security forces attempting to root out Palestinian militants affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

Violence has soared throughout the West Bank since the war between Hamas and Israel broke out in Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 863 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

At least 29 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids in the territory over the same period, according to official Israeli figures.