Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in Tulkarm raid

Israeli forces killed three Palestinians during an raid on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm on Wednesday, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Three men in their 20s - Mohamad Youssef Nasr Allah, 27, Ayman Ahmed Mubarak, 26, and Hossam Emad Deabes, 22 - were killed during an Israeli military raid on Tulkarm.

The raids coincided with attacks on other cities in the West Bank, including in Qalqilya, where four civilians were shot by Israeli forces.

The deaths in Tulkarm have increased the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since 7 October to 502, with 230 of those resulting from Israeli raids and 20 others caused by violence from illegal settlers.

At least 4,950 Palestinians have also been injured in the same period, with an additional 8,000 being arrested.

Since 2022, Israel has increased its raids in the West Bank leading to a rise in Palestinian deaths in the territory, although this has further increased since 7 October.

Prior to 7 October, at least 199 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, while in 2022, 154 Palestinians were killed by Israel.

The scale of the raids, which occur nightly across the West Bank, and the rise in settler violence have prompted harsh international criticism.

In December, the UN condemned what it said was a "rapid deterioration" in rights in the West Bank, calling Israel's tactics and use of disproportionate force "extremely troubling".

The UN also condemned settler violence in the territory, calling for Israeli forces to ensure the protection of Palestinian communities in the face of settler attacks.