By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli occupation forces during military raids carried out in the occupied West Bank.

Three Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during a military raid carried out by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin, a city in the northern occupied West Bank. 

The fatalities occurred after Israeli forces bombed a house and a mobile home during a siege in the village of Muthalath al-Shuhada, south of Jenin. In addition to the killings, extensive destruction to infrastructure and streets has been reported.  

Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rab confirmed the deaths and emphasized the devastation inflicted on the area during the incursion, which began at dawn and continues to unfold. 

The official Palestinian News Agency WAFA reported that Israeli special forces surrounded a house where a group of young Palestinians had taken shelter. 

Israeli forces caused heavy damage to infrastructure in the Jenin refugee camp. pic.twitter.com/NA8R5MSSAb

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 19, 2024

The troops reportedly used live ammunition and later fired an Energa shell, escalating the attack. Additional military reinforcements, including bulldozers and armored vehicles, were brought into the area.  

A spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, said in a statement that the operation targeted members of the Jenin Battalion. 

The brigade said its fighters responded by engaging in fierce clashes, using heavy gunfire and explosive devices to counter the advancing forces. Direct hits were reported against Israeli military vehicles and snipers.  

The Israeli army later confirmed the killing of two Palestinians during the operation in Shuhada, while local sources reported widespread damage to homes and infrastructure as the military assault continued.  

Raids in Nablus, Other West Bank Areas 

Elsewhere, Israeli forces intensified their incursions in Nablus, Bethlehem, and Hebron (Al-Khalil). 

In Nablus, Israeli occupation soldiers raided the home of imprisoned Hamas leader Hussam Harb in the town of Salem. 

Simultaneously, they stormed nearby areas, including the village of Burqa and the towns of Beita and Qabalan, where they conducted searches and caused significant disruption.  

Earlier in the day, 18-year-old Nour Ahmed Mustafa Arafat succumbed to his injuries after being critically wounded by Israeli gunfire. Arafat was shot in the chest, abdomen, and shoulder during confrontations in the Al-Masakin Al-Sha’biya neighborhood in Nablus.  

Les Palestiniens ont fait leurs adieux à Nour Ahmad Mustafa Arafat (18 ans), qui a succombé à des blessures graves à la poitrine, à l'abdomen et à l'épaule après que les forces israéliennes lui ont tiré dessus@TFilastin #gaza pic.twitter.com/QDipMJoSfv

— Khawla bint Al-Azwar 🇵🇸🇱🇧 (@khawla_azwar4) November 18, 2024

In Bethlehem, the Israeli army raided the village of Marah Rabah, conducting searches in several homes. Similar operations were carried out in the Deheishe refugee camp, where large numbers of troops were deployed. Eyewitnesses reported mass arrests and the destruction of property.  

In Hebron, occupation forces stormed the town of Idhna, raiding Palestinian homes and arresting several individuals. 

They also sealed off all entrances to the village of Tabqa, south of Dura, preventing residents from moving freely. Eyewitnesses confirmed that one child, en route to school, was detained by Israeli occupation forces and sustained a head injury during the operation.  

Mosque Demolished in Jerusalem

Meanwhile, in a move that has sparked outrage, Israeli authorities demolished the Shiyah Mosque in the Jabal al-Mukaber neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem. 

The mosque, which had been a place of worship for 20 years, was surrounded by Israeli Border Guard forces and bulldozed despite protests from the local community. A demolition notice had been served two weeks prior.  

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 785 Palestinians have been killed and approximately 6,300 injured in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October last year.

The raids and military operations across Palestinian territories, including home demolitions and mass arrests, continue to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and fuel widespread anger. 

(PC, AJA)