An Israeli airstrike in the West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday resulted in the deaths of two senior Hamas militants, according to a joint statement from the Israel Security Agency and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports Reuters.
Israeli authorities identified the deceased militants as Ahmed Abu Ara and Rafet Dawasi, both from the northern district of Jenin in the West Bank.
The Israeli statement claimed that the two were involved in planning a shooting attack on August 11 in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley, which resulted in the death of an Israeli civilian, Yonatan Deutsch.
Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, confirmed the deaths of two of its fighters in the Israeli airstrike on their vehicle in Jenin. The group had previously claimed responsibility for the August 11 attack, stating that its West Bank-based operatives had killed an Israeli soldier at close range near the Mehola settlement in the Jordan Valley before safely retreating to their bases.
The recent airstrike is part of a pattern of escalating violence in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza conflict.
On Thursday, in a separate incident, Israeli settlers killed at least one Palestinian in an attack on a village near the West Bank city of Qalqilya. This incident was condemned by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, adding to the diplomatic tensions surrounding the conflict.
The airstrikes come as President Joe Biden‘s administration pushes for a breakthrough in long-stalled Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks. An estimated 1,200 people were killed and approximately 240 more taken hostage during the unprecedented attack conducted by Hamas and allied Palestinian factions, according to Israeli officials.
More than 40,000 people have since been killed in the ensuing war in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry based in the Hamas-led territory.
The ongoing violence in the West Bank and Gaza has raised concerns about the potential for a wider regional conflict. There are fears that the situation could involve Iran and its proxies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Against this backdrop of increasing hostilities, a new round of peace talks is scheduled to resume next week in Doha, Qatar. These negotiations aim to bring an end to the 10-month-long fighting in Gaza. However, the recent surge in violence casts uncertainty over the prospects for a peaceful resolution.
The Israeli military maintains that its operations in the West Bank are necessary to combat terrorism and protect its citizens. Palestinian groups, on the other hand, argue that such actions exacerbate tensions and perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Since the war in Gaza began in October, the West Bank has experienced a marked increase in violent incidents. Israeli raids have become more frequent, while attacks by both Palestinian militants and Israeli settlers have risen sharply.
As negotiators prepare to meet in Doha, they face the challenge of addressing the immediate violence while also working towards a long-term solution to the conflict. The talks will take place against a backdrop of heightened tensions and recent bloodshed, factors that are likely to complicate the negotiation process.