At least two Palestinians killed in Israel's West Bank raids

At least two Palestinians were killed in the early hours of Sunday during Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank, where Israel has further stepped up its military aggression since beginning its air and ground assault on Gaza last month.

Issam Hussein Al-Fayed, who was reportedly disabled, was shot dead at the entrance to Jenin refugee camp by Israeli forces, the director of the Jenin Government Hospital told official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The 46-year-old's death came as Israeli forces stormed the camp from several entry points accompanied by military bulldozers that were used to destroy structures in the Al-Zahraa neighbourhood. Israeli snipers were deployed on the roofs of high buildings overlooking the camp, WAFA reported.

Palestinians at the camp confronted the Israeli forces, WAFA said.

Elsewhere, 25-year-old Omar Ali Al-Laham was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Dheisheh refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. Israel raided the camp early on Sunday, leading to violent clashes.

Israel allegedly prevented Red Crescent crews from reaching and treating Al-Laham, according to WAFA.

Additionally, there was a large Israeli raid in the Balata refugee camp, which was also the site of an Israeli drone strike that killed five people affiliated with the ruling Fatah party on Saturday.

Early on Sunday morning, a large Israeli force raided the camp, completely sealing its exits and bulldozing several structures on the camp’s Al-Souq street, among others.

Numerous homes were raided amid heavy gunfire, according to The New Arab’s Arabic sister publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

There were also reports of violent clashes arising from Israeli military raids in Qalandiya camp and Hebron, with a total of 38 arrests arising from the Sunday raids across the whole West Bank.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, some 200 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, with Israel vastly increasing its military presence in the illegally occupied territory.

Israel has waged a campaign of mass arrest, with between 2,700 and 2,800 Palestinians in the West Bank arrested since October 7.

Tel Aviv has also upped its use of administrative detention - a form of incarceration without charge or trial - and subjected Palestinian detainees to humiliating and violent treatment.

Additionally, there has been an exponential increase in settler violence, leading to the abandonment of six Palestinian communities since the war on Gaza began.