Violence Continues In West Bank As Four Palestinians Killed

Palestinian health officials reported the deaths of at least four Palestinians in the occupied West Bank during Israeli raids on Wednesday, as violence in the region persisted alongside the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Three individuals lost their lives during a raid in the northern city of Jenin, while another was fatally shot in Tulkarem, also in the northern region, according to the health ministry based in Ramallah. The Israeli military indicated that the incident occurred in Jenin refugee camp during a raid aimed at targeting an "operative" and militant "infrastructure" in the area. The fresh wave of violence unfolded as Palestinians initiated a general strike across the territory, leading to the closure of shops in Ramallah. One Ramallah resident, Fakhri Muhammad Shreiteh, emphasized the demand to halt injustice, tyranny, and the killing of innocent people while calling for an end to arbitrary revenge. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank, which has been in place since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, has seen regular incursions by Israeli forces into Palestinian communities. Violence in the West Bank has been escalating since early last year, characterized by frequent military operations, attacks by Israeli settlers, and Palestinian actions targeting Israeli forces and settlers. Notably, more than 120 West Bank Palestinians have lost their lives since the Gaza conflict erupted on October 7. The conflict began after Hamas militants breached the border, resulting in over 1,400 casualties, primarily civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Subsequently, the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza has reported that more than 8,500 people have been killed in Israel's bombardment, with two-thirds of the casualties being women and children, underscoring the severity of the ongoing crisis.