Israeli Forces Kill Three Palestinians in Jenin Raid Amid Rising West Bank Tensions

Israeli forces killed three Palestinians during a raid near the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, in what authorities described as an operation targeting a “terrorist cell” allegedly planning an attack. The Israeli police said the raid in Kafr Qud was conducted jointly by the army and the elite Yamam counterterrorism unit, with snipers opening fire on the suspects as they emerged from a cave. An airstrike was later launched to destroy what officials called a “terrorist hideout.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the deceased as Abdullah Mohammed Omar Jalamneh, Qais Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Beitawi, and Ahmed Azmi Aref Nashrati, all in their 20s. Footage from the scene showed firefighters extinguishing flames from a destroyed vehicle and surrounding olive groves, while residents examined debris and personal belongings inside the cave.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the operation, vowing to crush any attempts by Palestinian groups to rebuild their networks in the West Bank. The Israeli army has intensified operations across Jenin and nearby refugee camps since the Gaza war began, displacing thousands of Palestinians and demolishing numerous structures.

Violence in the West Bank has sharply escalated since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, 2023. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 988 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since then, while Israeli authorities report 43 Israeli fatalities from Palestinian attacks. The latest raid comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar earlier this month.