GAZA: Palestinian group Islamic Jihad has confirmed the killing of its commander in an Israeli attack at the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem in occupied West Bank.
Earlier, the Israeli military in a statement said it had killed five resistance fighters, including Muhammad Jabber, also known as Abu Shujaa.
“Abu Shujaa, commander of the Tulkarem Brigade of the Al-Quds Brigades died along with several brothers of his brigade after a heroic battle against the soldiers of the (Israeli) occupation”, Islamic Jihad said in a statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Red Crescent Society said at least 17 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military army fire amid an ongoing military operation in the northern occupied West Bank since Wednesday.
The relief organisation in a statement said that a Palestinian man lost his life in eastern Jenin on early Thursday. It came shortly after five Palestinians were killed by Israeli army inside a mosque in Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem.
In another development families of Israeli hostages in Gaza stormed the border of Palestinian territory to demand a prisoner swap deal with Palestinians. A forum for the hostages’ families in a statement on X, said they breached the border fence, using loudspeakers to talk to the captives.
According to Gaza Health Ministry at least 40,602 Palestinians have been killed and 93,855 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since October 7.
The EU foreign policy chief said Thursday said the Israeli foreign minister’s call to displace people from the West Bank is totally unacceptable.
Before attending the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Josep Borrell told journalists that UN’s Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag will brief the ministers on the situation in the field.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also asked Israel to immediately stop its large-scale military offensive in the occupied West Bank.
The secretary-general called on Israel to comply with its relevant obligations under international humanitarian law and to take measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety.
In a statement he urged security forces to exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect civilian lives.
The United Nations has stated it is still delivering humanitarian aid despite the upheaval to civilians and rescue teams caused by repeated Israeli evacuation orders and military operations.
