IDF Operation Kills Five Palestinian Militants In West Bank, Including Key Commander

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday, August 29, that they had killed five more militants in a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank, bringing the death toll to 14 over two days of “counter-terrorism” actions.

The IDF reported that the five militants were eliminated after an exchange of fire inside a mosque in Tulkarem. This follows the killing of nine militants in simultaneous raids across several West Bank cities the previous day.

Among those killed was Mohammed Jaber, also known as Abu Shujja, a well-known local commander linked to the Islamic Jihad militant group.

Shujja was reportedly involved in several attacks on Israelis, including a deadly shooting in June, and was allegedly planning further attacks before being neutralized by Israeli forces.

The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed Shujja’s death, stating that he and several members of his brigade were killed in what they described as a “heroic battle” against Israeli forces.

Violence has escalated in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, since the war with Hamas broke out in October last year.

According to UN figures, 637 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the conflict began.