Israeli forces conducted a raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of at least six Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities. The raid targeted the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem, with reports stating that an Israeli drone strike hit a group of Palestinians. The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of obstructing the transportation of the dead and wounded. The Israeli military has not yet provided a comment on the incident.
In a television interview, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas described the situation as “beyond a catastrophe” and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to eliminate the Palestinian people. Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, with the Palestinian Health Ministry reporting that at least 310 Palestinians have been killed in the region since then.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces expanded their ground offensive into urban refugee camps in central Gaza, following intense bombardment and evacuation orders for residents. Gaza’s main telecom provider announced a complete interruption of services in the besieged territory. Israel has declared that the war against Hamas will continue for several months as it aims to crush the militant group. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani spoke with President Biden about joint mediation efforts to calm the situation in Gaza and achieve a permanent ceasefire.
Despite calls from the United States and international pressure for a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military would intensify the fighting. The offensive has resulted in a significant number of casualties, with over 20,900 Palestinians killed, including two-thirds women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The United Nations reported that the continued bombardment of middle Gaza had claimed over 100 Palestinian lives since Christmas Eve. The Israeli military also announced the deaths of two more soldiers, bringing the total number of casualties since the start of the ground offensive to 161.
Amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the United Nations appointed outgoing Dutch finance minister Sigrid Kaag as its humanitarian coordinator for the territory. However, Israel announced that it would no longer grant automatic visas to U.N. employees, accusing the organization of being complicit partners with Hamas. Israel will now consider visa requests on a case-by-case basis, potentially hindering aid efforts in Gaza.
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