Israeli strike on West Bank claims 18 lives, UN expresses concern

An Israeli air strike claimed the lives of at least 18 people in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

The strike targeted a cafe in the Tulkarm refugee camp, where many civilians were present, as reported by the Palestinian Authority-run news agency Wafa.

The Israeli military confirmed the air strike was a joint operation with its Shin Bet security service, aimed at eliminating the city’s Hamas leader, Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, and “other significant terrorists.” Oufi was allegedly involved in a car bombing attempt last month and was planning another attack imminently.

Eyewitnesses described the devastating scene, with one resident telling AFP news agency that the Israeli military had “hit a cafeteria in a three-story building.” The resident added, “There are many victims in the hospital”. Another witness, Abdallah Kanana, recounted being thrown from his chair due to the explosion’s force.

This attack is part of a larger escalation of violence in the West Bank, which has resulted in over 700 Palestinian deaths since Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Israeli military has intensified its raids, carrying out dozens of air strikes in the occupied West Bank over the past year, primarily using drones or helicopters.

Meanwhile, the United Nations rights office has condemned the attack, citing a “highly concerning pattern of unlawful use of force by ISF (Israeli security forces) during military-like operations in the West Bank”.

UN rights chief Volker Turk noted that major Israeli operations in the occupied West Bank have reached a scale not seen in the last two decades.