Ongoing Israeli operation in West Bank leaves casualties

By Nathan Morley

The Israeli Defense Forces said its troops had killed ten militants during a sweep of the camp which began last Thursday. At least four Israeli soldiers were wounded.

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israel has killed over 450 Palestinians across the West Bank and east of Jerusalem since October last year.

In other developments, the Turkish President has met with visiting Hamas politburo chief in Istanbul to discuss the Gaza conflict and possible peace efforts.

Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh also touched upon the necessity of guaranteeing humanitarian aid delivery to the Gaza Strip, and matters concerning a peace process in the region.

Erdogan called for a more effective presentation of the Palestinian cause, and said Turkey persisted in its diplomatic attempts to bring the plight of Palestinians to the forefront of international attention.

He also reiterated his commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, saying over 45,000 tons have already been delivered so far.

Turkey has recently imposed various sanctions on Israel, including trade controls.

Meanwhile, speaking to the Palestinian News Agency, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian Authority was reconsidering bilateral relations with Washington ‘in light of its unyielding support for Israel’.

His comments come after the US vetoed a draft UN resolution calling for full membership for Palestine.

Abbas condemned the move as ‘disappointing, regrettable, shameful, irresponsible, and unjustified’.