Israel: Over 30 Dead in IDF Operations on West Bank · Global Voices

For a seventh consecutive day, his armed forces continued their operations in the north occupied, where at least thirty people have been killed, according to the Palestinian Authority’s health ministry. Israel’s “anti-terrorist” operation was launched on 28 August in cities on the north West Bank, a Palestinian area under Israeli occupation since 1967, where Palestinian armed movements have been extremely active. Two Palestinians were killed yesterday “in an Israeli attack in the Dnaba district, in eastern Tulcarem”, the health ministry announced. Teenage 16 was killed by the Israeli army in Kfar Dan, a village administratively owned by Jenin, further north, according to the same source. In operations in the Genin sector, soldiers began to surround two buildings where they had found refuge “armed terrorists”, the Israeli army told the French Agency. “During the surrounding of the buildings, terrorists opened fire on soldiers in the field and soldiers shot in turn a suspect,” he added, saying he was aware of the teenage girl’s death in the firefight. Overall, “we have 33 dead and about 130 injured on the West Bank from (passed) Wednesday”, summed up the health ministry of the Palestinian Authority: it counts 19 in the Genin region, 7 in Tulcarem and 4 in Toumba. The account includes three dead in the Hebron region, in episodes distinct from the operations of the Israeli armed forces in the north. One of the victims was reportedly committed an attack that cost the lives of three Israelis. Israeli raids focus on Jenin. The day before Monday the Israeli army announced that in the context of the “anti-terror struggle” elements of it killed 14 militants and “25 terrorists” were arrested. The municipality of Jenin also mentions widespread disasters. His representative, Bashir Matachen, said 80% of the water system’s pipes have been destroyed since operations began. The municipality found that 70% of the roads were also destroyed. A correspondent of the French Agency reported that he saw in some neighborhoods the streets being completely destroyed by excavators of the Israeli Army Engineer. It is a technique used by the Israeli to neutralize explosive devices. The city’s road arteries were deserted yesterday, with the exception of some Palestinian ambulances and armored Israeli army, this correspondent found. Genin and an adjacent refugee camp are considered strongholds of Palestinian armed movements fighting against Israeli occupation. Israel’s armed forces often launch raids there, but there are rarely simultaneous, coordinated large-scale operations, such as those of the last week. In Tulcarem, a short distance from Jenin, the Israeli army announced that on Monday it carried out an air strike against a group of militants “that opened fire against security forces during the counter-terrorism operation”. General hospital in Tulcarem informed the French Agency that a 15-year-old was killed in the bombing, while the father of the teenager and four other people were injured. Roads were damaged or completely destroyed, in particular by excavators of the Engineer, broadcast an AFP reporter located in the city, adjacent to Israeli territory. After the war broke out in the Gaza Strip between Israeli armed forces and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, violence between the Palestinians, the army and Israeli settlers escalated rapidly on the West Bank as well. At least 637 Palestinians have been killed, according to a UN count, and at least 23 Israelis, among them soldiers, according to official Israeli data.