Israeli border police today killed a high-ranking commander of the Islamist movement "Hamas" on the West Bank, the military announced, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Wassem Hazem, identified as a commander of "Hamas" in the troubled city of Jenin, was killed in a car that allegedly contained weapons, ammunition and a large amount of cash. Two other gunmen from "Hamas" were killed by a drone while trying to escape from the vehicle, Israel's border police said. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that more than 650 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the war began, the Associated Press reported.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for an immediate halt to Israel's operation in the West Bank and issued a statement last night urging the government to protect the civilian population of the territory. The British government today said it was "deeply concerned” from the ongoing Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank, warning that the risk of instability is serious and that there is an urgent need for de-escalation, Reuters reported.
"We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law and limit the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions,” said a spokesman for the British Foreign Office.
The Israeli army announced on Thursday that five more fighters, including a prominent local commander, were killed in a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank, the Associated Press reported. According to the Israeli side, the murdered Mohammed Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, is the commander of the "Islamic Jihad" group. in the Nur Shams refugee camp on the outskirts of the town of Tulkarem. He became a hero to many Palestinians earlier this year when he was reported to have been killed in an Israeli operation, only to make a surprise appearance at the funeral of other fighters, where he was held up by cheering crowds, the AP recalled.< /p>