Three people were fatally shot on Sunday at the border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, according to Israeli officials. The military reported that a gunman arrived at the Allenby Bridge Crossing from Jordan in a truck and fired at Israeli security forces. The assailant was killed in the ensuing shootout, and the three victims were identified as Israeli civilians. The Magen David Adom rescue service noted that the deceased were men in their 50s.
Jordan, which has a peace agreement with Israel from 1994 but frequently criticizes its policies towards Palestinians, has not provided any response yet. The Allenby crossing is primarily used by Israelis, Palestinians, and international tourists.
The rising violence in the West Bank
The violence in the West Bank has escalated since Hamas’ attack from Gaza on October 7, which sparked the ongoing conflict. Israel has been conducting frequent military raids in Palestinian residential areas, and there has been an increase in both settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike early Sunday resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including two women, two children, and a senior official from the Civil Defense, a first responder group under Hamas. The Civil Defense stated that the strike targeted the home of its deputy director for north Gaza, Mohammed Morsi, in the Jabaliya refugee camp.
The Israeli military is yet to comment on the strike. The army maintains that it aims to avoid civilian casualties and targets only militants.
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40,000 Palestinians killed
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began 11 months ago, without distinguishing between fighters and civilians. The war has led to extensive destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, often multiple times.
Hamas militants were responsible for killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack on Israel. They also abducted 250 individuals, retaining around 100 of them after releasing most in a prisoner exchange during a cease-fire last November. It is believed that about a third of the remaining hostages are deceased.
Efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to negotiate a cease-fire and secure the return of hostages have faced repeated setbacks.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank reports at least 691 Palestinian deaths since the war’s onset, with most being militants killed during Israeli operations, but the toll also includes civilians and protesters.
Israel took control of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war, areas Palestinians seek for a future state. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but retains control over its airspace, coastline, and most land crossings, alongside Egypt, which imposed a blockade following Hamas’ takeover in 2007.
Protests across Israel
A large number of Israelis again took to the streets to protest the government’s failure to secure the return of hostages still held in Gaza, according to the Associated Press.
This new protest followed one of the largest demonstrations of the war, which occurred a week prior after the discovery of six more deceased hostages in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced criticism for not agreeing to a ceasefire and responded by stating that he would not be instructed by anyone.
Israel faces mounting pressure from the US and other allies to agree to a ceasefire, but Netanyahu remains firm on maintaining Israeli control over the Philadelphi corridor. This narrow strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt is where Israel claims Hamas is smuggling weapons, although Egypt and Hamas deny these allegations.
Last week, Arnon Bar-David, the head of Israel’s influential Histadrut trade union, called for a “complete strike” beginning Monday to pressure the government into securing a deal for the release of the remaining captives. Bar-David highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that political considerations were hindering progress on the deal, which he deemed unacceptable.
Senior Hamas officials attributed the blame for the deaths to Israel’s refusal to sign a ceasefire agreement. Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, stated that Netanyahu was responsible for the deaths of Israeli prisoners and suggested that Israelis should choose between Netanyahu and the deal.
12th month of war
The war in Gaza marked its 12th month on Saturday, with reports indicating the death of at least 16 Palestinians. The family of a U.S. citizen killed in the West Bank has called for justice, and there has been no visible progress towards a cease-fire. The ongoing clashes involve Israel, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah. Israel has used airstrikes and ground troops, while Hamas and its allies have employed anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.
The family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed by Israeli soldiers during a pro-Palestinian protest in the West Bank on Friday, has requested an independent investigation. The White House has also called for an inquiry. Eygi, a 26-year-old activist, was shot while not posing a threat to Israeli forces, during a period of calm following earlier confrontations, according to witnesses.
Despite the ongoing conflict, health workers have completed the second phase of a three-phase polio vaccination campaign. The goal is to vaccinate 640,000 children amidst the war-torn health system. This campaign was initiated due to the first polio case in the Palestinian enclave in 25 years.
UN officials reported that more than half of the children needing vaccinations have been reached in the southern and central Gaza Strip. The third phase will begin in the northern region on Sunday. A second round of vaccinations will be necessary four weeks after the initial dose.
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