Israeli Airstrikes Intensify in Tulkarm Amid Ongoing Conflict

Israeli Airstrikes Target Tulkarm in Escalating Conflict

On Saturday, Israel conducted two aerial strikes on the town of Tulkarm, located in the occupied West Bank, marking a significant escalation in tactics that had previously been uncommon in this densely populated area. According to Hamas, the military wing of the group reported that three of its members, along with six other fighters, lost their lives in these strikes.

One of the airstrikes involved a drone attack that resulted in the deaths of five individuals in a vehicle, as reported by Palestinian media sources. Among those killed was a prominent local leader of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military faction. While Hamas confirmed that three of the deceased were members of the Qassam Brigades, it did not claim the other six fighters as part of its organization.

The Israeli military stated that its operations were aimed at targeting “terrorists” in Tulkarm, although specific identities were not disclosed. They claimed the individuals in the vehicle were en route to execute an attack. Furthermore, the military enforced road closures leading into Tulkarm, effectively trapping residents within the town. Palestinian media outlets have shared videos depicting Israeli bulldozers dismantling sections of the road.

Following the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, the Israeli military has significantly intensified its near-daily raids across various Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank. This period has also seen a notable increase in deadly airstrikes within the territory, reminiscent of the heightened aerial attacks seen during the second Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the early 2000s.

Prior to October 7, airstrikes and drone assaults in the West Bank were relatively rare and limited compared to those in Gaza. However, since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, Israel has ramped up its aerial bombardments targeting Palestinian regions.

The two Palestinian territories have long been governed by separate administrations: Hamas has held control over Gaza for 17 years prior to the outbreak of war in October, while the Palestinian Authority, led by the rival faction Fatah, oversees parts of the West Bank.

According to United Nations reports, the Israeli military has executed at least 39 airstrikes on Tulkarm over the past ten months, a number that does not include the strikes from Saturday. One of the most recent incidents occurred on July 22, when an Israeli drone strike resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians, including two women.

Since October 7, the toll on Palestinian lives in the West Bank has been staggering, with at least 589 individuals reported killed by Israeli forces or Jewish settlers. While some of the deceased were affiliated with Palestinian armed groups resisting the Israeli occupation, many others were civilians, as confirmed by Palestinian media and health officials. Among those casualties were 142 children and youths under the age of 18, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry last month.

Reporting contributed by Rawan Sheikh Ahmad.