The Israeli forces have successfully neutralized a prominent Hamas commander in the West Bank region

The Israeli military announced that a local commander of the Islamist movement Hamas was killed by Israeli forces in the city of Jenin on Friday. This incident occurred during an ongoing major operation in the occupied West Bank, which is now in its third day.

The military has reported that Border Police forces have successfully neutralized Wassem Hazem, whom they claim to be the leader of Hamas in Jenin. Hazem was allegedly involved in carrying out shooting and bombing attacks within the Palestinian territory.

According to the report, two additional Hamas gunmen who attempted to flee the vehicle they were traveling in were eliminated by a drone. The report also mentioned the discovery of weapons, explosives, and significant amounts of money in the car.

Hamas has officially confirmed the deaths of all three individuals, identifying them as members of its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

According to residents, in the village of Zababdeh, located just outside Jenin, there was a burnt-out car that had been shot multiple times. The car had come to a stop against a wall after being chased by an Israeli special forces’ unit.

Villager Saif Ghannam, aged 25, reported that one of the two remaining individuals who fled from the vehicle was fatally struck by a small drone just outside his residence. The drone strike resulted in shattered windows. Meanwhile, the second individual was killed at a nearby location.

Ghannam reported that Israeli forces had successfully removed the bodies, however, notable quantities of blood remained on the ground at the location where he claimed the individuals were fatally wounded.

The incident took place during an ongoing large-scale operation conducted by Israeli forces. This operation, involving hundreds of troops and police, was initiated in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Jenin and Tulkarm, two volatile cities in the northern West Bank, as well as the Jordan Valley.

Israeli armored personnel carriers, supported by helicopters and drones, conducted operations in Jenin and Tulkarm on Friday. Additionally, armored bulldozers were deployed to clear roads and neutralize roadside bombs that had been planted by militant groups.

The escalation of hostilities in the West Bank is occurring concurrently with the ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for nearly 11 months. Additionally, there has been an increase in clashes with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in the Israel-Lebanon border area.

During the initial two days of the West Bank operation, a minimum of 17 Palestinians lost their lives, which included the elimination of the regional leader of the Iranian-supported Islamic Jihad forces in Tulkarm.

The Israeli military has provided a summary of its operations, stating that a total of 20 terrorists have been eliminated through exchanges of fire and airstrikes. Additionally, 17 suspects who are believed to be involved in terrorist activities have been apprehended.

According to Palestinian tallies, over 660 Palestinians, including both combatants and civilians, have been killed in the West Bank since the Hamas attack on Israel in October that initiated the Gaza war. These fatalities have resulted from actions by Israeli troops as well as frequent attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

According to Israel, Iran is known to supply weapons and offer support to militant factions in the West Bank. The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war. Consequently, the Israeli military has intensified its operations in the region.

The British government expressed its deep concern on Friday regarding Israel’s operation in the West Bank. It emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation.

The Foreign Office has expressed concern over the methods employed by Israel in defending itself against security threats. While acknowledging Israel’s need for self-defense, the office is troubled by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.