An Israeli fighter jet assault has killed a minimum of 18 folks within the Tulkarem refugee camp within the occupied West Financial institution, the Palestinian Ministry of Well being introduced on Thursday night. The assault marked the primary time Israel has used a fighter jet to hold out a strike within the West Financial institution for the reason that 2000s, reported AFP.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the airstrike, calling it a “heinous crime” in opposition to civilians. The Palestinian Authority-run information company Wafa reported that the strike had focused a packed espresso store within the camp crammed with civilians.
The Israeli navy confirmed the strike, stating that it had been carried out by fighter jets in coordination with Israel’s inner safety service and that the goal of the strike was the pinnacle of Hamas’s infrastructure within the space.
This newest assault is a part of a broader surge in Israeli navy raids throughout the West Financial institution, which have intensified for the reason that begin of the conflict on Gaza on 7 October 2023. Based on a report from the United Nations Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 695 Palestinians have been killed within the West Financial institution since 7 October 2023, with nearly all of these deaths attributed to Israeli navy actions. Dozens have additionally been killed by Israeli settlers, mentioned the OCHA.
The Tulkarem refugee camp, dwelling to greater than 21,000 Palestinians, spans simply 0.18 sq. kilometers (0.11 sq. miles), in response to the UN company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The densely populated camp has been the positioning of a number of Israeli strikes and raids throughout the battle.
