The Israeli military established a fire perimeter in Gaza City yesterday, marking the second anniversary of the onset of the war in the region on October 7, 2023. This escalated the pace of airstrikes and artillery shelling, alongside detonating explosive devices, resulting in numerous casualties across various locations in the besieged Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, the West Bank witnessed a series of incursions and arrests.
Eyewitnesses reported artillery fire targeting the Nuseirat area in central Gaza, with the Israeli army also opening fire in northern Khan Younis, coinciding with an increased presence of military aircraft in the skies above.
Additionally, medical sources from hospitals in Gaza confirmed that 15 Palestinians have died from gunfire and shelling by the Israeli army in different areas since dawn yesterday, including a child who was only one year old.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces conducted incursions and clashes from early morning, resulting in injuries to several Palestinians. Military units stormed neighborhoods and towns across Qalqilya, Tulkarem, and Jenin in the northern West Bank, as well as areas in the center, including Ramallah, and further south.
Local sources reported confrontations between Palestinian youth and the Israeli military during a raid in the town of Qabatiya near Jenin. Medical sources confirmed that two Palestinians were shot by Israeli forces during the incursion. Moreover, a number of Israeli military vehicles entered the town, leading to clashes with local youth, during which live ammunition was fired directly at civilians.
In the same region, an Israeli force reportedly entered the town of Rummanah west of Jenin, according to local reports.
In the northern West Bank, local sources indicated that military forces raided the area around the Balawi junction in the southern part of Tulkarem city. In Qalqilya, it was reported that Israeli soldiers invaded the home of a detainee and forcibly broke down the doors of another house in the Kafr Saba neighborhood.
An Israeli force also stormed the town of Tamoun south of Tubas, just hours after military forces had entered the city of Tubas itself.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that a young Palestinian was injured by live fire from Israeli forces during their incursion into Tubas.
In Ramallah, the army closed all entrances to the city and launched a series of raids and arrests, accompanied by vandalism that lasted several hours.
In southern West Bank, a Palestinian youth was injured by gunfire from the army during their operation in the town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron, as reported by the Red Crescent.