Calay News
A new wave of violence has rocked the occupied West Bank, leaving a tragic death toll on both sides. In a Palestinian attack near the West Bank Jewish settlement of Eli, four Israelis were shot dead, while the two Palestinian attackers were also killed. This incident followed violent clashes during an Israeli army raid on a refugee camp in Jenin, where seven Palestinians were killed, including an Islamic Jihad fighter. Funerals for the deceased were held on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
In response to the attack in Eli, the Israeli army arrested three people in the Palestinian village of Urif and is seeking to destroy the homes of the slain attackers. Meanwhile, in retaliation, Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian residents in Huwara and set fire to agricultural land in Al-Lubban al-Sharqiya and Beit Furik.
This escalation of violence occurs amid an already tense context in the region, with frequent episodes of clashes and reprisals. The United States condemned the attack and expressed its concern about the continuation of violence in Israel and the West Bank.
So far this year, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed the lives of at least 170 Palestinians, 25 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian, according to official counts. Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes has been a controversial practice that has been argued to have a deterrent effect but has also been criticized for its impact on the families affected.
The situation in the region remains volatile, and the recurring violence poses significant challenges to achieving a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
