A deadly Israeli airstrike in the occupied West Bank claimed the lives of three Palestinians, including two children, on Wednesday, sparking condemnation and escalating tensions in the region.
The strike targeted the village of Tammun near Tubas, according to Palestinian officials, while the Israeli military stated it was aimed at a "terrorist cell."
Ahmad Assad, governor of Tubas, identified the victims as 23-year-old Adam Bsharat, 10-year-old Hamza Bsharat, and 8-year-old Reda Bsharat. However, the Palestinian foreign ministry listed Reda’s age as nine.
All three were reportedly members of the same family and were killed in front of their home, which was damaged by shrapnel, an AFP journalist confirmed.
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the airstrike, accusing Israel of targeting civilians under the guise of combating militants.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military maintained that the strike targeted a “terrorist cell” operating in the Tammun area but did not acknowledge civilian casualties.
This is the second airstrike in Tammun within 48 hours. On Tuesday, two people were killed in an Israeli operation targeting what the military described as an "armed terrorist cell" that had reportedly opened fire on Israeli forces during a raid. Residents of Tammun said Israeli forces removed one of the bodies after the strike.
The violence comes amid heightened tensions following the Gaza war, which began on October 7, 2023. The northern West Bank has become a flashpoint for frequent Israeli military operations, which Israel claims are necessary to thwart militant attacks.
In recent months, the toll in the West Bank has risen sharply. According to the Palestinian health ministry, at least 825 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers since the start of the Gaza war.
On the other side, Palestinian attacks in the region have left 28 Israelis dead during the same period, per official Israeli data.
The airstrike underscores the growing instability in the West Bank, where Israeli military raids and Palestinian attacks have escalated into a cycle of violence, leaving families and communities reeling from the loss.
AFP