UPDATE - Israeli army storms town in occupied West Bank

UPDATES WITH DEATH TOLL, CHANGES DECK, LEDE

By Awad Rjoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army late Friday stormed the town of Deir Al-Ghusun, northeast Tulkarm, in the occupied West Bank, killing six Palestinians, according to the Palestinian media.

The official Palestine news agency Wafa confirmed that “the number of martyrs in the town of Deir al-Ghusun north of Tulkarm has risen to 6,” adding that “the Israeli occupation army detained the bodies of five martyrs who fell inside the targeted house in the town, without knowing the identity of the martyrs.”

According to eyewitnesses, Palestinian ambulance crews and citizens rushed to the demolished house immediately after the Israeli army withdrew from the area following an operation that lasted about 14 hours.

Earlier in the day, Wafa reported: “(Israeli) special forces surrounded a house in Deir al-Ghusun amid continuous gunfire.”

The Palestinian agency said a video circulating on social media shows “Israeli forces firing at two young men as they attempted to exit from under the rubble of the demolished house, resulting in their death, without knowing their identities.”

A circulated video on social media shows the Israeli army arresting a Palestinian who was among those trapped. Palestinian activists say he emerged alive from the rubble.

The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that a member of the Israeli "Yamam" unit, belonging to the Border Police, was injured during clashes near the city of Tulkarm and was transported to the hospital, but did not mention the severity of the soldier's injury.

The daily clarified that the Israeli army conducted a military campaign for more than 13 hours in Deir al-Ghusun since early Saturday.

Social media users also said armed clashes erupted in Deir Al-Ghusun between the Israeli army and Palestinians.

Videos captured sounds of intense gunfire and showed an Israeli military bulldozer storming the city.

Tensions have been high across the occupied West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip which has killed over 34,600 people following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7.

At least 491 Palestinians have since been killed and over 4,950 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi and Rania Abu Shamala