DaysofPal- The Israeli military has intensified its operations in the occupied West Bank, killing two Palestinian women, one of whom was eight months pregnant, during a deadly raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the Tulkarem region.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli troops opened fire on a Palestinian family inside the camp, killing 23-year-old Sondos Jamal Muhammad Shalabi and critically wounding her husband. The ministry further stated that medical teams were unable to save the unborn child as Israeli forces prevented the injured couple from being transported to a hospital.
In a separate incident, 21-year-old Rahaf Fouad Abdullah al-Ashqar was also killed inside her home by Israeli forces. Local sources reported that Israeli troops raided the camp at dawn, deploying heavy machinery and bulldozers while reconnaissance planes flew at low altitudes. Witnesses recounted hearing heavy gunfire and large explosions as the operation unfolded.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that Israeli soldiers blocked its medical teams from entering the camp, despite multiple casualties being reported. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Tulkarem Battalion claimed to have repelled an Israeli infiltration attempt into Nur Shams.
Israel, justifying the raid as a crackdown on what it termed “disruptive activities” in the camp, has imposed a curfew in the area. This latest assault is part of a broader Israeli military campaign targeting Jenin, Tulkarem, and Far’a in the Tubas governorate, which has resulted in the displacement of more than 26,000 Palestinians in recent weeks.
Since a ceasefire was declared in Gaza last month, Israeli forces have escalated their military operations across the West Bank. Additional reinforcements have been deployed towards Far’a camp from the Hamra checkpoint, while Israeli forces continue to destroy infrastructure and private property in the area. Reports indicate that raids on citizens’ homes and field interrogations remain ongoing.
On Saturday, Israeli soldiers forcibly displaced dozens of Palestinian families, some of whom are now taking refuge in schools. At least eight Palestinians were arrested in Far’a during these operations.
The escalation follows a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza on January 19, after more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment that has killed nearly 48,200 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins. Since the war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 906 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
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