Israeli army kills 5 Palestinians in drone strike in West Bank

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army killed five Palestinians in a drone strike late Monday on the Nour al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem city in the northwestern occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said "five martyrs arrived at the Tulkarem government hospital as a result of an (Israeli) occupation strike on Nour Shams refugee camp."

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that an explosion was heard in the camp, then plumes of smoke rose from a home.

The Israeli army said one of its drones struck the camp, alleging that it hit "a command room" for Palestinian gunmen there.

Over the past few years, Israeli forces have conducted regular raids in the West Bank which escalated after the war on Gaza last October, which has killed over 40,400 Palestinians.

Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers.

At least 651 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 5,400 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.

In a landmark opinion on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar