In recent developments from the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have been embroiled in a shootout with Palestinian combatants. This incident, which began on Friday and extended into the second day, resulted in at least two fatalities as reported by the Palestinian health authority.
The intense operation initiated by Israeli forces was concentrated around Nur Shams region, situated near Tulkarm, a Palestinian metropolis. As stated by the Israeli military, the operation resulted in the death and detention of numerous militants. Additionally, the confrontation led to at least four Israeli soldiers being injured.
On Saturday, the Tulkarm Brigades collective, comprising militants from various Palestinian groups, confirmed that they were still engaging with Israeli forces. There were at least three unmanned aerial vehicles sighted over Nur Shams, a location that was teeming with Israeli military vehicles and echoing with sporadic gunfire.
Since Friday, the Palestinian health authority has verified the demise of two individuals within Nur Shams, a vicinity housing refugees from the 1948 conflict and their offspring. Among the casualties was a 16-year-old student as per Palestinian official reports.
The flare-up of hostility in the West Bank had already been escalating prior to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza which erupted in October. The frequency of Israeli invasions, Palestinian assaults on the streets, and violent outbreaks by Jewish settlers in Palestinian hamlets have all amplified.
The territories of the West Bank and Gaza are coveted by the Palestinians as part of their aspirational independent nation. However, the peace negotiations facilitated by the US collapsed a decade ago. This information was provided by Reuters.
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