Israeli Airstrikes Target Tulkarm in the West Bank
On Saturday, Israel launched two airstrikes on the town of Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank, marking a significant escalation in its military tactics within this densely populated area. According to Hamas, the strikes resulted in the deaths of three members of its military wing, along with six additional fighters.
One of the airstrikes involved a drone attack that reportedly killed five individuals traveling in a vehicle. Palestinian media identified one of the deceased as a local leader of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing. While Hamas confirmed the deaths of three Qassam members, it did not claim the other six fighters as part of its group.
The Israeli military stated that its operations aimed at “terrorists” in Tulkarm were part of an ongoing campaign, though they did not specify particular targets. They claimed that those in the vehicle were en route to execute an attack. In the aftermath of the strikes, the military also instituted road closures around Tulkarm, effectively trapping residents without an escape route. Videos circulating on Palestinian media displayed Israeli bulldozers demolishing sections of roadways.
Since the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, the Israeli military has intensified its near-daily raids on various Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank. This increase in military operations has also included a rise in airstrikes, a tactic not commonly seen in the region since the second Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the early 2000s.
Prior to October 7, airstrikes and drone operations in the West Bank were infrequent and considerably less extensive compared to those carried out in Gaza. However, following the onset of the conflict in Gaza, Israel has significantly ramped up its aerial assaults on Palestinian territories.
The two Palestinian regions have been governed separately for years; Hamas has ruled Gaza for 17 years prior to the recent outbreak of war, while the Palestinian Authority, led by the rival faction Fatah, oversees parts of the West Bank.
According to the United Nations, the Israeli military has conducted at least 39 airstrikes in Tulkarm over the past ten months, not including the strikes from Saturday. One of the most notable incidents occurred on July 22, when an Israeli drone strike claimed the lives of five Palestinians, including two women.
Since the conflict escalated on October 7, at least 589 Palestinians have died in the West Bank due to confrontations with Israeli forces or attacks by Jewish settlers. This number includes not only members of armed groups opposing the Israeli occupation but also numerous civilians. Among the deceased were reported 142 children and youths under the age of 18, as documented by the Palestinian Health Ministry last month.
Reporting contributed by Rawan Sheikh Ahmad.
