4 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in West Bank

Ramallah (The Uttam Hindu): Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in Jenin, the northern West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Ministry said on Sunday in a press statement that the four victims, whose identities were still unknown, died during an "occupation assault" on the town of Sir, southeast of Jenin as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Jenin Governor Kamal Abu Rab told Xinhua that the victims' identities could not be confirmed due to the severe damage and charring of their bodies. He added that the Israeli army had detained the corpses. The Ministry statement did not provide further details about the incident.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that an Israeli drone targeted a room in the village of Sir earlier on Sunday morning. The strike was followed by search and sweep operations conducted by the Israeli army in the area. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday that with the direction of the Israeli Security Agency, an Israeli Air Force aircraft struck and "eliminated a terrorist cell" in the Jenin area.

Following the strike, IDF soldiers conducted a targeted raid at the site. They reportedly found three weapons on the militants' bodies, along with additional weapon parts, military vests, and explosive materials. Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, tensions have escalated across cities, refugee camps, and villages in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes in the West Bank during this period.