Israel kills 5 Palestinians inside West Bank mosque

Tulkarem, Palestinian Territories — AFP

The Israeli military killed five Palestinian resistance fighters in the occupied West Bank on the second day of the so-called “counter-terrorism” operations that have killed 14 in total.

“Following exchanges of fire, the forces eliminated five terrorists who had hidden inside a mosque” in Noor Shams mosque in Tulkarem on Thursday morning, the military said.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed that Islamic Jihad commander Muhammad Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, was among the five, who he accused of carrying out attacks against illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

On Wednesday, the military claimed that it had killed nine resistance fighters in simultaneous raids in several West Bank cities and refugee camps.

The Palestinian health ministry has reported 12 killings of Palestinians by the IDF since the start of the operation.

Witnesses said that Israeli forces had withdrawn from Al-Farra camp in Tubas where several Palestinian civilians had been killed on Wednesday.

A journalist reported that attacks were still taking place in Jenin as he saw a drone flying overhead.

Israeli soldiers were also continuing to operate in Tulkarem, according to reports.

After the genocidal decimation of besieged and blockaded Gaza, Israel has launched another violent military operation in the occupied West Bank.

Since the start of Israel’s ruthless war on Gaza, at least 637 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or illegal Israeli settlers, according to UN figures.