UPDATE - Another Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in West Bank, taking death toll in latest raid to 8

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM ISRAELI ARMY

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, taking the death toll in a nearly two-day-long military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm to eight, the official Wafa news agency and witnesses said on Friday.

The latest victim was Muhammad Salit, 22, who was killed by Israeli army gunfire. Witnesses said Israeli forces also prevented ambulance crews from reaching him.

The forces withdrew from Tulkarm and its refugee camp after the operation which lasted for about 45 hours. The raid left major infrastructure damage and also led to the detention of dozens of Palestinians.

The Israeli army stated on Friday that it concluded a “campaign that lasted about 45 hours, involving forces from the army, border guards, Musta’ribeen (undercover elite units disguised as Arabs), and the general security service.”

Forces inspected nearly 1,000 buildings and interrogated hundreds of suspects, arresting more than 37 wanted individuals,” it said.

“Soldiers discovered and preemptively destroyed over 400 explosive devices, seized 27 weapons, along with a significant amount of military equipment, and destroyed 5 laboratories for manufacturing explosive devices and four reconnaissance operation rooms,” the army claimed.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

A total of 360 Palestinians, including 41 in 2024, have been killed and nearly 4,000 others injured since then, according to officials.