Palestinians say six killed in Israeli West Bank operations

Palestinian officials said Israeli forces killed six people in operations in two refugee camps in the occupied West Bank Thursday.

Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army said it was looking into the reported deaths.

The ministry of health in Ramallah announced Thursday that four Palestinians were killed and three were injured "as a result of the (Israeli) bombing of a vehicle in Tulkarem camp", in the northern West Bank.

Earlier Thursday, the ministry said two Palestinians were killed in a raid in the Balata refugee camp near Nablus.

One of the dead was 80-year-old Halima Abu Leil, according to the ministry, which said she was fatally shot in the chest and leg.

The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed her death after transporting her to the hospital.

The ministry also announced the death of a 25-year-old man in the same raid. His passing was confirmed by the Red Crescent.

The Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of firing at its ambulances, "obstructing the delivery of humanitarian and medical services inside the camp".

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the war in Gaza began on October 7 last year, following Hamas's attack on Israel.

Since the start of the Gaza war, at least 803 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

In the same period, Palestinian attacks have claimed the lives of at least 24 Israelis in the West Bank, based on Israeli official data.

Israel has maintained an occupation of the West Bank since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.