Israeli forces injure Palestinians, demolish homes in West Bank raids

Palestinians were injured after Israeli forces opened fire during raids in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday morning.

The Israeli army said it demolished a home and several shops in Al-Zawiya, while additional buildings were torn down in the Ras Khamis neighbourhood near Jerusalem, according to reports. Demolitions also took place in the Nur Shams camp on Monday.

Israel routinely claims it demolishes Palestinian structures built without permits, but it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain such permits under occupation.

The military has left a trail of destruction across multiple towns and refugee camps it has raided in recent months, damaging critical infrastructure and demolishing dozens of homes.

Tulkarm Governor Abdallah Kamil accused Israeli forces on Tuesday of looting during raids.

"The Israeli occupation forces commit daily crimes against our people in the Tulkarm Governorate, including the theft of money and valuables from homes during raids, in addition to humiliating practices against citizens during arrest and detention," Kamil told Anadolu.

"These violations are no longer limited to destruction, vandalism, and home demolitions, but now include organised theft and deliberate humiliation, in a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and a direct targeting of Palestinian dignity," he added.

On Monday evening, a Palestinian man was shot and wounded by Israeli troops east of Tulkarm and rushed to the hospital, according to the WAFA news agency. A second man was injured by bullet shrapnel in his back, also in Tulkarm.

Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in their vehicles near the town of Turmus Ayya, throwing stones and using pepper spray, WAFA reported.

Earlier on Monday, a Palestinian child was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the village of Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Dubbed 'Operation Iron Wall', the Israeli military intensified its operations across the northern West Bank in January, beginning with large-scale raids on the flashpoint city of Jenin and its refugee camp, and later expanding to towns and camps in Nablus, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams.

However, raids and settler violence had already surged in tandem with Israel's war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.

Since then, at least 980 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, nearly 7,000 wounded, and over 17,500 arrested, many of whom have since been released, according to Palestinian figures.