Israeli Incursions In The West Bank (2023–present)

During the Gaza war, Israeli forces have carried out multiple ground incursions, occasionally accompanied by airstrikes, into several Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including Jenin and Tulkarm. The Israeli incursions have led to clashes with Palestinian militants. 806 West Bank Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the conflict began, including 143 children. The United Nations recorded more than 800 Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians between October 2023 and May 2024. Israel has arrested an estimated 10,000 West Bank Palestinians between 7 October 2023 and August 2024. On 15 December, Doctors Without Borders reported 2023 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank in recorded history.

Background

Tensions and violence between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank were escalating long before the start of the 2023 war. According to the UN, 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians on record, and the year to September 2023 already represented the deadliest year in history for children in the West Bank.

Incursions into Jenin

October attacks

On 12 October 2023, Israel conducted a raid in Jenin, West Bank, resulting in the reported detention of a Hamas fighter and injuries to other individuals. On 14 October 2023, another raid was launched in the city, leading to the deaths of multiple people.

On 22 October 2023, an airstrike carried out by the Israel Defense Forces targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups organising an "imminent terror attack" at the Al-Ansar Mosque, causing extensive damage. Two people were killed, and three others were injured. The IDF asserted that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) had been operating from a compound beneath the mosque. The Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, characterized the attack as a "dangerous escalation in the use of warplanes" and expressed concern over the adoption of tactics from Gaza.

On 27 October, Ayser Mohammad Al-Amer, a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, was reportedly killed during a clash with the IDF. On 29 October, the IDF removed the Jenin Horse, a monument built in 2003 out of scrap metal, including pieces of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance where Khalil Suleiman was killed by the IDF. On 30 October, Israeli forces again raided Jenin, engaging in fighting that reportedly killed two Palestinians.

November raids

On 17 November, the IDF reportedly engaged in clashes with militants from the Al-Quds Brigades and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin over several hours. This confrontation resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including three Hamas fighters and two civilians. Another clash occurred on 29 November, during which the IDF reportedly clashed with PIJ militants, leading to the death of two militants.

Killing of children by Israeli soldiers

On 29 November, the IDF killed "two high-ranking terrorists". During the raid suspects threw explosive devices at IDF soldiers and they responded with live fire. CCTV footage depicting the killings show 14-year old Basel Abu Al-Wafa being shot at multiple times, sustaining mortal wounds while 8-year old Adam Al-Ghool was killed with a shot to the head.

December raids

On 5 December, clashes resulted in the injury of five Palestinians. On 6 December, a violent confrontation with the IDF resulted in the death of one teenage protester and injuries to two others. On 12 December, five Palestinians were killed, while another man was killed later that day. On 13 December, a Palestinian protester was killed, and two others along with a child were wounded by Israeli gunfire. On 14 December, Israel stated they had arrested 60 wanted individuals, confiscated 50+ weapons, discovered explosives and funds exceeding NIS 100,000, and uncovered underground shafts, explosives labs, and observation posts. According to IDF statements, forces reportedly destroyed infrastructure, seized ammunition, and targeted two squads with the air force, resulting in seven reported deaths and injuries. Over ten individuals, and a total of twelve Palestinians were killed in reported clashes.
A 17-year-old was reportedly shot and killed by IDF forces inside the Khalil Suleiman hospital compound near the Jenin refugee camp, accourding to accounts by the Doctors Without Borders.
A female Israeli soldier shot and killed a Palestinian man on 22 December for attempting to move his car. Raids on 24 December in Jenin and multiple other areas in the West Bank resulted in more than ten arrests. At least ten houses were raided on 25 December.

January raids

A dozen raids were reported on 2 January, with a violent raid in Jenin and violent confrontations in Azzun, resulting in the death of four Palestinians. Raids were reported in Ya'bad on 5 January, with an eleven-year-old wounded. A doctor described a drone strike on 7 January, stating one man "was decapitated. It seemed the missile directly hit him. Others had their limbs severed." All entrances into Jenin were reported blocked on 9 January. The chair of the Jenin high-level committee stated Israel had destroyed streets, electric poles, water lines, and a monument to Shireen Abu Akleh. The British charity Action Around Bethlehem Children with Disability stated it had been damaged by Israeli forces.

On 13 January, Israeli soldiers surrounded the Al Amal Hospital, searching ambulances. A young man was killed during a raid and his brother was arrested on 25 January. The IDF destroyed roundabouts on 28 January. Three young men were reportedly beaten severely by IDF troops in a raid on Ya'bad on 29 January. On 30 January, an additional three young Palestinian men, claimed by the IDF to be militants, were assassinated in a Jenin hospital by Israeli commandos disguised in medical uniforms. The men were reportedly killed in their beds while they were asleep. Some legal analysis have remarked that these actions might constitute a war crime.

February raids

Two young men in their late-twenties were hospitalized after being beaten for several hours by Israeli soldiers and left in an olive grove. A raid on 13 February destroyed infrastructure, including water, sewage, and internet networks. A young man was killed by Israeli forces on 13 February, after the soldiers refused to allow medical personnel to reach him. Clashes were reported in Qabatiya after Israeli forces destroyed people's property and vehicles. Israeli Army Radio stated that three Palestinians were killed in an air raid on 20 February. A 25-year-old was killed on 21 February. A strike on 22 February killed one and wounded fifteen; two more people died from this strike in the following days. The Israeli forces put the village of Jalbun under military lockdown after Israeli demolitions of Palestinian shacks led to confrontations and an arrest.

March raids

An 18-year-old boy died from gunshot wounds to the head on 5 March. Two were killed during a raid on 12 March. Israeli forces opened fire on the Jenin Government Hospital wounding civilians standing in front of the emergency department and killing two. An Israeli airstrike killed three people on 21 March, the second airstrike in less than a month. Doctors reported four casualties following an Israeli drone raid on 27 March. Al Jazeera English reported Israel's "frequent use of drones to kill Palestinians." A 19-year-old was reported dead from serious gunshot wounds. According to the official Palestinian news agency, a 13-year-old was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Qabatiya.

May raids

Authorities stated a teacher and a doctor, as well as two teenagers, were among seven people killed on 21 May 2024. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society posted footage reportedly showing Israeli troops preventing medics from transporting a wounded person. Defense for Children International called on the U.S. to stop providing arms used to kill children after Israeli snipers killed two 15-year-old boys. Verified footage from the raid showed Israeli forces abusing stripped Palestinian men.

June raids

In mid-June 2024, Israeli forces reportedly beat a young man from Jenin into unconsciousness.

Incursions into Tulkarm

October

On Thursday, 19 October 2023, at 3 a.m., Israeli forces conducted a raid in Tulkarm, focusing on Nur Shams, various neighborhoods, and the Tulkarm camp. A 15-year-old boy and his father were killed by snipers. In the Nur Shams camp, a drone deployed by Israel resulted in casualties among a group of Palestinians. Four children and eight young men were killed in the airstrike. The Israeli army reported the death of one officer and injuries to nine soldiers due to the detonation of an explosive device in the Nour Shams camp, with the wounded soldiers transported to the Meir Hospital.

On the second day of the raid, Friday, 20 October 2023, explosions occurred at dawn and in the morning hours. The Tulkarm Battalion reported that additional armed groups had reached Tulkarm to support their efforts. The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed 13 casualties, including 5 children, with the deceased and injured transported to Martyr Dr. Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital.

November

On 2 November 2023, an Israeli reserve soldier in a civilian vehicle was ambushed by militants in Beit Lid and fatally shot.

December

Five were killed on 17 December, while ambulances were prevented from reaching the wounded, and paramedics were arrested. On 20 December 2023, Israeli forces raided the town of Attil. On 23 December, bulldozers entered Tulkarem and clashes were reported between Palestinian and Israeli forces. On 24 December, homemade explosives were reportedly used against the IDF. More than 100 Israeli army vehicles raided Nur Shams on 25 December. An overnight drone strike was reported on 27 December, with a paramedic stating he found bodies of "men lying everywhere".

January

Five people were injured during a raid on 3 January 2024, including one person hit by a live bullet, three people beaten by Israeli soldiers, and one person who was rammed by an Israeli jeep. A forty-hour raid on Nur Shams concluded on 4 January, with more than a dozen wounded from soldier beatings. 500 people were reportedly interrogated. The head of the Tulkarem camp services committee condemned an Israeli killing of three young men after video showed soldiers running over the body of one young man after shooting him dead. A seven-hour raid on Nur Shams occurred on 12 January, resulting in damage to infrastructure and leading the camp's emergency head to state, "There is no street inside the camp or alley that has not been destroyed." A teen boy was beaten to death by Israeli soldiers on 13 January.

Three paramedics were arrested during a raid on 17 January. Five people were killed. The raid reportedly lasted more than forty hours, with homes and infrastructure destroyed and a large number of men detained. The IDF reportedly exchanged fire with local militants and uncovered explosive booby-trapped roads, damaging electricity and water lines on 30 January.

February

A young man was shot in the chest during an Israeli raid on Kafr Jammal on 3 February. Two men were killed in Nur Shams on 7 February. The head of Nur Sham's popular committee stated that since 7 October, Israeli forces had raided 17 times, killed 23 young men, destroyed 35 homes, displaced 800 residents, and destroyed roads, sewage, water, and electricity networks. Two people were killed on 18 February. In response, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated, "Carte blanche has been given to Israeli soldiers from the political echelon, enabling them to shoot Palestinians on a whim and without any threat posed."

March

Two men were killed by Israeli forces during a raid on 12 March. Israel launched a raid on 21 March, with witnesses stating it was the "most brutally violent night they've ever had in terms of the destruction they've seen around them." The Palestine Red Crescent Society stated four people were killed during an Israeli raid on Nur Shams.

April

Medical sources in Nur Shams stated a man had been shot in the chin and neck by an Israeli sniper while filming a military raid on the camp. Destruction was reported following an Israeli raid in late-April, with the Palestinian Red Crescent reporting 14 deaths.

May

Three young men in their twenties were reportedly killed in an overnight raid on 16 May. In July 2024, Palestinian officials stated five people were killed by Israeli troops during a raid.

Other raids and incursions

Ramallah

On 12 October 2023, a group of Israeli soldiers and settlers stripped a group of men naked in Ramallah, urinating on them, burning them with cigarettes, and sexually assaulted one man. Five people were wounded during a raid in Ramallah. On 5 January, a teenage boy was shot and killed in Bani Zeid al-Gharbia. A local doctor was blindfolded and arrested during a Ramallah raid on 7 January. A doctor and nurse were arrested in Ramallah on 8 January. Israeli forces reportedly released poisonous gas during a raid in Beit Rima on 28 January.

On 7 February 2024, Israeli forces broke into the house of an American woman in Silwad, pulled her out of bed and arrested her due to her social media posts. A teenager was reportedly shot in the head and killed by Israeli forces on 10 February. Six children were reportedly arrested in Aboud on 20 February. Two ten-year-olds were arrested on 22 February. The body of a thirteen-year-old boy from Jalazone was found dead near the separation wall, close to Beit El, an illegal Israeli settlement. A teenage boy was shot dead by Israeli forces on 2 March in Kafr Ni'ma. A 13-year-old boy was killed by Israeli forces on 3 March, after he was reportedly left bleeding out for hours. A 16-year-old protester was shot and killed on 4 March. In June 2024, Israeli forces raided Kafr Nima, killing four people and wounding four. A 12-year-old boy died after being shot by Israeli forces in June 2024.

Killing of Tawfiq Ajaq

On 19 January, Israeli forces killed an American teenager in Al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya. His father stated, "They are killer machines. They are using our tax dollars in the US to support the weapons to kill our own children." The U.S. Office for Palestinian Affairs called for an investigation into the boy's death. The U.S. State Department stated, "We are working to understand the circumstances of the incident ndhave asked the Government of Israel for further information." The National Security Council spokesman stated the White House was "seriously concerned about these reports". The State Department called for an "urgent investigation" on 22 January. On 25 January, U.S. Congressmember Rashida Tlaib called for an investigation into Ajaq's death, stating, "Tawfiq deserved to grow old." A witness of the killing stated the shooting was unprovoked.

A month later on 10 February, Israeli forces killed another American citizen in Biddu. The victim was 17-year-old Mohammad Khdour, who was shot in the head while out driving.

Hebron

An investigation was launched on 6 December 2023 after Israeli soldiers shot and wounded a mentally disabled man in Hebron. A 28-year-old pharmaceutical representative was shot dead by the IDF in Beit Einun after turning on a road he didn't know was closed. On 21 December 2023, Israeli forces raided multiple areas across the Palestinian territories including Halhul and Surif. On 27 December, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported three people were wounded during an IDF raid in Hebron. People in Hebron were injured on 30 December 2023 with rubber bullets and tear gas. On 30 December 2023, the governor of the Hebron Governorate stated the city of Hebron had been sealed off by the IDF since 7 October. On 29 December 2023, Israeli forces assaulted and fired shots at Palestinian shepherds in the Masafer Yatta region.

Raids were reported in Al-Arroub on 5 January 2024. On 13 January 2024, Israeli forces shot and killed three teenage boys near Adora, Har Hevron. Later, troops raided the boys' family house in Hebron, using tear gas, sound bombs, and rubber bullets, while their family was mourning the killings. On 15 January 2024, a young man and young woman were killed near Hebron after an Israeli raid. On 19 January 2024, the home of Imad Abu Shamsieh, a human rights activist, was raided, and he was told to stop "filming and documenting". On 29 January 2024, the acting mayor of Hebron said Israeli forces had killed two young men and wounded three in Dura. A boy killed on his way home from school on 15 February 2024 was the 100th child in the West Bank to be killed by Israel since 7 October. Three young brothers were shot by Israeli forces near Hebron on 29 February while picking plants, killing one.

On 25 March 2024, authenticated footage showed Israeli soldiers removing a young boy's shirt and slapping him in the face. A 14-year-old boy was reportedly shot and killed in May 2024. In August 2024, Doctors Without Borders described increased Israeli restrictions and violence against Palestinians was impacting Hebron residents physical and mental health. During a raid on the Al-Fawar refugee camp, Israeli soldiers abused civilians and arrested more than 30 people.

Tubas, Bethlehem, and Qalqilya

On 15 December 2023, Israel launched an investigation after B'tselem released video of IDF soldiers shooting two unarmed men at point-blank range in Far'a. Seven were wounded in a raid near Tubas. On 27 February, the acting governor of Tubas stated that an Israeli raid had destroyed roads, generators, while "three young men were killed in cold blood while living their normal lives at their homes". In June 2024, a raid on Far'a reportedly lasted more than 12 hours, killing a fifteen-year-old boy. In September 2024, an Israeli sniper killed Sufyan Jaber Abed Jawwad, the first UN employee to be killed in the West Bank in more than a decade.

Raids were also reported in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. On 6 January, Israeli forces reportedly conducted a "crackdown" on resistance and dissent, with troops reportedly beating three men in Bethlehem. A health clinic near Bethlehem was raided on 10 January. Raids were reported near Bethlehem on 18 January, with four young men reportedly beaten by soldiers. On 11 February 2024, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that a 35-year-old man had been killed by Israeli forces with 20 bullets found in his body.

On 29 December 2023, a 17-year-old boy in Qalqilya was shot in the chest and then arrested while ambulances sought to aid him. On 2 January 2024, paramedics in Qalqilya were shot when they tried to rescue an injured man. A 20-year-old was killed when Israeli forces shot him in the head, shoulders, and chest. A fifteen-year-old boy was killed on 21 February. On 9 March, the mayor of Azzun stated that Israeli forces had killed 8 young men and arrested more than 100 since 7 October. A 15-year-old boy was reportedly shot and killed by Israeli forces in August 2024.

Nablus

Explosions and armed fighting were reported in Balata Camp on 24 December. 35 people were arrested in raids across the West Bank on 25 December. 200 homes in Burqa were raided on Christmas Day. Officials in Sebastia reported Israeli settlers were attacking and destroying archeological sites. At least fourteen people were injured during a raid in Nablus on 9 January. On 10 January, five were wounded in Nablus. The head of the Balata Camp service committee stated Israeli soldiers had killed five men in the camp on 17 January 2024, then stated, "Israeli forces kidnapped the bodies of four of the men as well as some body parts of Yazan al-Najmi". On 4 February, Israeli forces released a military dog on a 4-year-old boy, who was repeatedly bit and bled profusely for three minutes before being hospitalized. On 6 February, a young man in Beit Furik was shot and killed after Israeli forces prevented ambulances from reaching him.

On 13 February, settlers attacked shepherds, pelting them with stones, setting a vehicle on fire, and attempting to steal their flock. On 18 February, the governor of Nablus stated 48 people had been killed by Israelis since 7 October, and that the military was erecting gates and checkpoints, effectively turning it into a "big prison". The village council chair of Duma stated their town had been sealed off by the IDF for 90 days and required international intervention. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back and killed during a military raid on 29 February. An 11-year-old was killed after being shot in the head by Israeli live ammunition in Burin on 4 March. After Israeli settlers attacked a home, Israeli forces arrived to protect the settlers, shooting live bullets and tear gas canisters at the Palestinian homeowners. In August 2024, a Palestinian Red Crescent paramedic died a week after sustaining injuries during an Israeli raid.

In November 2024, an Israeli soldier on a military jeep shot and killed an 11-year-old boy.

Across West Bank

On 31 October, Israeli forces heightened their operations in other parts of the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of five Palestinians in Qabatiya, Tammun, and Nablus. This brought the total number of casualties in the West Bank since 7 October to 90 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported Israeli forces had fired live ammunition on youth protesters in Halhul, injuring two, with additional raids in Tubas, Qalqilya, Deir Abu Da'if, Jalbun, and Jalqamus. On 23 December, raids were reported across the West Bank, including in Dheisheh, Hebron, Yatta, Beita, Qaryut, Jericho, Ein as-Sultan, and Aqabat Jaber. The same day, Israeli soldiers shot a man with special needs carrying a bag of lollipops reportedly for no apparent reason. On 25 December, Israeli forces destroyed an agricultural facility in Salfit and ordered the residents of Yatta to cease construction of a new school. On 28 December, the Palestine Monetary Authority reported Israeli forces raided the headquarters of six exchange companies and seized vast sums of money. Approximately $2.5 million were seized after soldiers blew up the bank vaults. Raids were reported across the West Bank on 9 January.

Five Palestinians were killed throughout the West Bank on 14 January. Raids were reported across the West Bank on 18 January. Raids were reported across the West Bank on 21 January, placing economic pressure on residents and disrupting peoples' livelihoods. Raids were reported across the West Bank on 25 January. Raids on 29 January killed five boys and young men in just 24 hours. A Jericho raid by Israeli forces on 21 March killed a young Palestinian man.

East Jerusalem

On 22 December, two Palestinians in East Jerusalem were wounded after Israeli forces fired sound bombs and tear gas. On 29 December, Israeli forces fired skunk water, tear gas, and rubber bullets at worshippers in Wadi al-Joz. The same day, one individual was reported injured following an Israeli raid in Kafr 'Aqab. A raid was reported in Silwan

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases