Palestinian Officials Say Israeli Raids Across Occupied West Bank Have Killed 9 People

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel launched raids crossed nan occupied West Bank connected Wednesday, wherever its forces killed astatine slightest 9 Palestinians and sealed disconnected nan volatile metropolis of Jenin, according to Palestinian officials.

Israel has carried retired near-daily raids crossed nan West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught retired of Gaza triggered the ongoing warfare there.

Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging occurrence pinch nan Israeli military. The politician of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said connected Palestinian power that Israeli forces had surrounded nan city, blocking exit and introduction points and entree to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure successful nan camp.

The Palestinian Health Ministry successful nan West Bank said Israeli forces had blocked nan roads starring to a infirmary pinch ungraded barriers and surrounded different aesculapian accommodation successful Jenin.

The Israeli subject confirmed it was operating successful nan cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not supply further details.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz drew comparisons pinch Gaza and called for akin measures successful nan West Bank.

“We must woody pinch nan threat conscionable arsenic we woody pinch nan violent infrastructure successful Gaza, including nan impermanent removal of Palestinian residents and immoderate steps mightiness beryllium required. This is simply a warfare successful each respect, and we must triumph it,” he wrote connected nan level X.

Hamas called connected Palestinians successful nan West Bank to emergence up, saying nan raids are portion of a larger scheme to grow nan warfare successful Gaza and blaming nan escalation connected U.S. support for Israel. The militant group called connected information forces loyal to nan Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate pinch Israel, to “join nan ineffable conflict of our people.”

At slightest 652 Palestinians successful nan West Bank person been killed by Israeli occurrence since nan warfare successful Gaza began complete 10 months ago, according to nan Palestinian ministry. Most person died during specified raids, which often trigger gunbattles pinch militants.

Israel says nan operations are required to dismantle Hamas and different militant groups and to forestall attacks connected Israelis, which person besides risen since nan commencement of nan war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said nan bodies of 7 group were brought to nan infirmary successful Tubas, different West Bank city, and different 2 were brought to nan infirmary successful Jenin. The ministry identified 2 killed successful Jenin arsenic Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured nan West Bank, Gaza and eastbound Jerusalem successful nan 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want each 3 for a early state.

Israel has built scores of settlements crossed nan West Bank, which are location to complete 500,000 Jewish settlers. They person Israeli citizenship, while nan 3 cardinal Palestinians successful nan West Bank unrecorded nether Israeli subject rule, pinch nan Palestinian Authority exercising constricted power complete organization centers.

The warfare successful Gaza erupted connected Oct. 7, erstwhile Hamas-led militants stormed into confederate Israel and rampaged done service bases and farming communities, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting astir 250. The militants are still holding immoderate 110 hostages, astir a 3rd of whom are believed to beryllium dead, aft astir of nan remainder were released during a November cease-fire.

Israel responded pinch an violative that has killed complete 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not opportunity really galore were militants. Around 90% of Gaza’s organization has been displaced, often aggregate times, and Israeli bombardment and crushed operations person caused immense destruction.

Israeli strikes successful Gaza overnight and into Wednesday killed astatine slightest 16 people, including 5 women and 3 children. Most of nan strikes were successful aliases adjacent nan confederate metropolis of Khan Younis, which has travel nether dense bombardment complete nan past 2 months. Associated Press reporters astatine 2 hospitals confirmed nan toll.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt person spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would spot nan remaining hostages released. But nan talks have many times bogged down arsenic Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed “total victory” complete Hamas and nan militant group has demanded a lasting cease-fire and a afloat withdrawal from nan territory.

There was nary motion of a breakthrough aft days of talks successful Egypt, and nan negotiations move to Qatar this week.

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Associated Press writer Samy Magdy successful Cairo contributed to this report.

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