Did Israeli Troops Kill Five Militants in West Bank Raid?

Jerusalem, May 16 (NationPress) Israeli military forces reported the deaths of five Palestinians during a raid in the West Bank town of Tammun, claiming the deceased were militants engaged in what they termed 'significant terrorist activity'.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), on Thursday, their elite Duvdevan 'undercover unit' collaborated with Border Police and operated under the direction of the Shin Bet security agency to initiate coordinated raids in Tammun and the adjacent city of Tubas.

The military stated that their forces faced gunfire while targeting two buildings purportedly used by armed operatives, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

This led to an exchange of fire, during which troops deployed shoulder-fired missiles.

As a result, five individuals lost their lives and another was apprehended, the IDF noted.

The army also reported the confiscation of three M-16 rifles and four military vests.

Palestinian officials have not yet commented on the identities or associations of the deceased.

In a separate operation in Tubas, Israeli forces arrested three additional individuals and seized more weapons, including six M-16 rifles, a pistol, magazines, hand grenades, improvised explosive devices, and gas canisters.

These raids occurred shortly after the death of an Israeli woman who was shot while in the late stages of pregnancy.

The woman, identified as Tzeela Gez, 37, was critically injured in a shooting on Wednesday night and succumbed to her injuries early Thursday at Beilinson Hospital near Tel Aviv.

Medical professionals performed an emergency caesarean section to deliver her baby, who was subsequently transferred to a children's hospital for further care.

Gez's husband suffered minor injuries in the incident.

At the time of the attack, the couple was traveling between the Israeli settlements of Brukhin and Peduel.

Israeli forces have initiated a manhunt for the assailant.

Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza on October 7, 2023, tensions in the West Bank have escalated significantly.

The Israeli military has ramped up operations in the northern regions of the West Bank, coinciding with an uptick in settler violence and frequent clashes with Palestinian factions.

International humanitarian organizations report that nearly 1,000 Palestinians have died in the occupied West Bank since the Gaza war began.

Israel took control of East Jerusalem, along with the rest of the West Bank, during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Under international law, East Jerusalem is regarded as occupied Palestinian territory, and its annexation by Israel is deemed illegal.