3 more Palestinians killed in Israeli operation in West Bank

Gaza, Dec 13

Three more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, which lasted more than a day, authorities said.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, a 36-year-old man, who was shot with live ammunition in the thigh, succumbed to his wounds after the Israeli army delayed his ambulance's arrival at the hospital, reports Xinhua news agency.

A man identified as Qassam Zidan, 29, was shot dead in the Jenin refugee camp by the Israeli army, while a 13-year-old adolescent died on his way to Jenin Governmental Hospital after his ambulance was hindered by Israeli forces, the ministry said.

The announcement came after a medical source said on Tuesday that at least four Palestinians were killed by Israeli drone attacks.

Israeli forces have been conducting a major military operation in Jenin, raiding hundreds of homes and arresting dozens of Palestinians, according to Palestinian security and local sources.

The Israeli army said its forces came under gunfire and explosive attacks by Palestinian militants while conducting "building surveys" in Jenin, prompting them to respond.

The three new fatalities have raised the Palestinian death toll in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7 to 282, which includes nearly 70 children.

This toll represents more than half of all Palestinians killed in the West Bank this year.

Already, 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since OCHA began recording casualties in 2005.