Israeli Forces Kill 16 in Gaza and West Bank, Medics Report

Escalation of Violence in Gaza and West Bank

Israeli forces have killed 16 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, according to health officials. This marks one of the highest death tolls in a single day in recent weeks, as Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon and Iran. The violence has intensified amid ongoing conflicts, raising concerns about the stability of the region.

Airstrike in Zawayda Town

Medics and the interior ministry of the Hamas-run Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike killed a senior police official and eight other officers when it hit their vehicle near the entrance to Zawayda town in the central Gaza Strip. At least 14 other people, mostly bystanders, were wounded, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Tragedy in Nuseirat

Earlier on Sunday, health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike had killed three people — a man, his pregnant wife, and their son — in the western area of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. The incident highlights the growing number of civilian casualties in the region.

No Immediate Response from Israel

There was no immediate Israeli comment on the incidents in Gaza. However, the situation remains tense, with ongoing attacks and limited communication between the parties involved.

Violence in the West Bank

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a Palestinian father, mother, and two of their children were killed as they drove in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health authorities. The Israeli military stated that the incident was under review.

Ongoing Conflict and Ceasefire

Gaza has experienced regular outbreaks of violence since a ceasefire went into effect in October following two years of devastating war triggered by Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high, and violence continues to escalate.

Rise in Attacks Post-Iran War

While Israeli attacks in Gaza declined in the days after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, according to residents, medics, and analysts, they have since begun to rise again. Israeli fire has killed at least 36 Palestinians since the outbreak of the Iran war, according to Gaza health officials.

The territory’s health ministry says that at least 670 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the October ceasefire. Israel said four soldiers were killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.

Tragic Incident in Tammun

In the West Bank village of Tammun, Palestinian health authorities reported that Ali Khaled Bani Odeh, 37, his 35-year-old wife Waad, and two of their sons aged five and seven died after being shot in the head while driving. Two of their other children sustained injuries.

The Israeli military stated that forces had operated in the village of Tammun to arrest Palestinians wanted for involvement in “terrorist” activity against security forces. “During the operation, a vehicle accelerated toward the forces, who perceived an immediate threat to their safety and responded with gunfire. As a result, four Palestinians who were in the vehicle were killed,” the military said.

The circumstances of the incident were under review, it said.

Survivor’s Account

Speaking to Jendela Magazine at the hospital, Khaled, 12, one of the two surviving boys, described the tragedy. He said he heard his mother crying and his father praying before shots sprayed the car. “We came under direct fire, we didn’t know the source. Everyone in the car was martyred, except my brother Mustafa and me,” the boy said.

He mentioned that soldiers had pulled him out of the vehicle before beating him and saying, “We killed dogs.”

Settler Attacks in the West Bank

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that one Palestinian was also killed in an attack by Israeli settlers overnight. Israeli settlers in the West Bank are taking advantage of curbs on movement imposed during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran to attack Palestinians, with military roadblocks preventing ambulances from reaching victims quickly, according to rights groups and medics.

Settlers have killed at least five Palestinians in the West Bank since the Iran war began on February 28, according to the Palestinian health ministry.