Israeli Forces Raid West Bank Eliminate Commander
Israeli forces killed a local commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade and arrested suspected Palestinian militants during a raid in the West Bank on Friday, officials have reported. The operation, which took place in the Faraa refugee camp near the town of Tubas, resulted in a firefight with local gunmen that left six Palestinians dead, including the founder of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade.
According to residents of Faraa, Israeli undercover forces secretly entered the refugee camp in the early hours of Friday morning and set up sniper positions on top of buildings. The military operation took place amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which was temporarily halted by a cease-fire agreement.
The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed that among the six killed in the operation were the founder of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, an armed group affiliated with the secular nationalist party Fatah, as well as a 14-year-old boy. The deaths have sparked mass protests in the area, with thousands of people taking to the streets to mourn the loss of civilian lives.
This is not the first time that Israeli forces have conducted raids in the West Bank during the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that since Hamas triggered the war with a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, the Israeli military has killed 267 Palestinians in the West Bank. Most of these deaths occurred during shootouts after Israeli forces entered the West Bank to arrest suspected militants.
In addition to the operation in the Faraa camp, the Palestinian advocacy group the Prisoners’ Club has confirmed that Israeli forces raided a number of towns across the West Bank early on Friday, resulting in the arrests of 32 people, including two in Faraa.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade has been recognized as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States since its formation in late 2000. The group, which has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on Israeli civilians and military targets, is considered a major threat by Israeli authorities.
The Israeli military has not released a statement addressing the operation in the Faraa camp, but it is likely that the increased restrictions on Palestinian residents across the West Bank during the ongoing conflict have contributed to the tensions in the region.
The latest raid and arrests in the West Bank further highlight the ongoing violence and instability in the region, as well as the long-standing conflicts between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. The death toll of civilians on both sides continues to rise, and it remains uncertain when a lasting peace will be achieved in the region.