Jenin: Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry. The incident occurred on Tuesday and has raised tensions in the region.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Palestinian Health Ministry identified the deceased individuals as Abdullah Jalamneh, 27; Qais Al-Bitawi, 21; and Ahmad Nasherati, 29. The official news agency Wafa, citing local sources, detailed that Israeli forces conducted a raid in Kafr Qud town with military reinforcements, surrounded an area of agricultural land, and opened fire on the three men. Following the confrontation, the Israeli forces reportedly seized the bodies of the deceased.

The Israeli military confirmed the attack, stating that it targeted “a terrorist cell,” resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including one in an airstrike, and injuring another. This marks the first Israeli airstrike in the occupied West Bank in nine months, according to an Anadolu correspondent. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire near Kafr Qud, followed by an airstrike on a cave and a vehicle.

Since January, the Israeli military has been conducting extensive operations in northern West Bank refugee camps, leading to significant casualties, displacement, and destruction. The escalation of Israeli attacks in the West Bank since October 2023 has resulted in over 1,059 Palestinian deaths and 10,300 injuries, based on Palestinian figures.

Additionally, the Israeli army demolished two Palestinian homes in Shuqba town, western Ramallah, citing a lack of building permits. Local councilor Tim Shalash informed Anadolu that the homes were built on private land, and a total of four houses have been demolished in the town this year under similar claims.

The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reported that since October 2023, Israel has conducted 1,014 demolitions across the West Bank, affecting over 3,000 structures, including inhabited homes and agricultural facilities. In a significant ruling last July, the International Court of Justice deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and urged the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.