Journalists gather on a destroyed street to cover the second day of a large-scale military operation on the Noor Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem, the occupied West Bank, on August 29, 2024. | Photo credit: AFP
The death toll rose on Thursday (29 August 2024) as Israel continued its large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank for a second day despite UN concerns it is “escalating an already explosive situation”.
The operation comes at a time when violence is flaring in the other main Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by war since Hamas launched unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7.
Israel launched coordinated raids in the northern West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem early on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) in what the army called an “anti-terrorism” operation.
Contingents of Israeli armoured vehicles supported by soldiers and warplanes were sent in, before troops surrounded refugee camps in Tubas and Tulkarem as well as Jenin and exchanged fire with Palestinian militants.
The army said it killed five militants in Tulkaram on Thursday (August 29, 2024), bringing the total death toll to 14 since the start of the West Bank operation.
“After an exchange of fire, security forces killed five militants hiding inside a mosque in Tulkaram,” the army said.
Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad has confirmed the death of its commander Muhammad Jabbar, also known as Abu Shujaa, at the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkaram.
The violence has caused considerable destruction, particularly in Tulkarem, whose governor described the raids as “unprecedented” and a “dangerous sign”.
AFPTV footage showed bulldozers ripping up tarmac from the city’s streets. There were reports of widespread damage to infrastructure, including water and sewage networks.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 12 Palestinians were killed on the first day of the operation.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces have withdrawn from the al-Farra refugee camp in Tubas, where several Palestinians were killed on Wednesday (August 28, 2024).