Israel kills 2 Hamas fighters in West Bank

In a statement, the military said that "in a joint operation by the Israeli army and the Shin Bet (internal security agency), an air force aircraft launched an attack" in the Tulkarem area.

Violence has soared throughout the West Bank since the war between Hamas and Israel broke out in Gaza on October 7, 2023.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the two killed as Ramez Damiri and Ihab Abu Atwi, both residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp in the Tukaram area.

According to the Israeli military, Abu Atwi was "the Hamas chief in Tulkarem", responsible for "numerous armed attacks".

Hamas said two members of its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, were killed "after the enemy blew up a vehicle they were in" in Nur Shams refugee camp.

Hamas did not say whether Abu Atwi was its leader in Tulkarem.

The Palestinian health ministry said earlier that two dead and three injured arrived at Tulkarem's Governmental Hospital "following the occupation's targeting of a vehicle in Nur Shams refugee camp".

The health ministry also announced the death of a young man killed Sunday night by Israeli forces in Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem.

The ministry reported one dead and two injured "by (Israeli) bullets near Qalandia camp".

Wafa identified the man killed as Adam Sab Laban, saying he was shot by Israeli forces who were stationed at a military tower by the Qalandia checkpoint into Jerusalem, and who "opened fire at a group of citizens".

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 861 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the health ministry.

At least 29 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids in the territory over the same period, according to Israeli official figures.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.