Five killed in West Bank as Israel steps up raids and arrests

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 arrested in the occupied territory since the start of the Israel-Gaza war

Gunmen attend the funeral of Palestinians killed in an overnight Israeli army raid, in the Jenin refugee camp. AP

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Latest from Jenin: Palestinians cuffed and blindfolded as Israel steps up violent West Bank raids

At least five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank on Thursday night.

Israel said it carried out an operation overnight in Jenin refugee camp, in the north of the West Bank. Israel has linked the area to militant activity.

"An armed terrorist cell that fired at Israeli security forces was struck by [a military] aircraft," the Israeli army told AFP.

"Terrorists who fired and hurled explosive devices at the security forces were neutralised. In total, at least five terrorists were killed."

Hamas, which carried out an attack against Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 240 hostages, said three of its fighters were killed.

Hamas's military wing, Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, said on Friday it engaged Israeli forces for several hours in Jenin, unleashing a "torrent of fire" and laying ambushes with explosives.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said three people had been killed in the Jenin raid. It said 15 were wounded, with four in critical condition.

Israel also said its troops had shot and killed two men at a junction near Hebron on Friday.

“The forces also confiscated the Carlo-type weapon from which the shooting was carried out. There are no casualties to our forces,” the army said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

At least 28 Palestinians were reportedly arrested in Ramallah during overnight raids by Israeli forces in the town of Ni’lin, reported the Wafa news agency.

Israeli forces arrested another five people in Hebron, it said.

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7, according to the Palestinian authorities.

Last week, Israeli forces raided Jenin and fought an hours-long battle with gunmen in which 14 people were killed, one of the heaviest clashes in the West Bank in months.

According to right groups, nearly 2,500 Palestinians have been arrested since the beginning of the war.

Violence has surged in the West Bank since Israel began its bombardment of Gaza on October 7.