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A deadly shooting on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank on Monday left three people dead and seven others injured, according to Israeli medical services.
The victims included two women in their 60s and a man in his 40s, as confirmed by Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency response team.
This incident adds to the escalating violence in the West Bank since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants from Gaza, which triggered the ongoing conflict.
The attack occurred in Al-Funduq, a Palestinian village situated along a key east-west route in the territory. While the identities of the assailants and victims remain unknown, the Israeli military has stated that the attackers fled the scene and are being pursued.
In recent years, Palestinians have carried out numerous shooting, stabbing, and vehicle-ramming attacks targeting Israelis. In response, Israeli forces have conducted near-nightly military raids across the West Bank, often resulting in violent clashes with militants.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 835 Palestinians have lost their lives to Israeli military operations in the West Bank since the Gaza war began.
Israel seized control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians aspire to establish a state encompassing all three territories. Presently, approximately 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule in the West Bank, with the Palestinian Authority overseeing major population centers. Meanwhile, over 500,000 Israeli settlers reside in settlements widely deemed illegal by the international community.
Conflict in Gaza Intensifies Amid Ceasefire Talks
As the war in Gaza shows no signs of abating, reports suggest progress in negotiations for a potential ceasefire and hostage release.
The war erupted when Hamas-led fighters launched a large-scale surprise assault nearly 15 months ago, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis, primarily civilians, and the abduction of around 250 people. Currently, at least 100 hostages remain in Gaza, a third of whom are feared dead.
Israel’s air and ground operations have reportedly killed over 45,800 Palestinians in Gaza, with women and children comprising over half of the casualties, according to local health authorities. The Israeli military claims to have eliminated over 17,000 militants, though evidence has not been provided.
The conflict has devastated Gaza, displacing 90% of its 2.3 million residents, many of whom now endure harsh winter conditions in makeshift camps. At least seven infants have died from hypothermia, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports.
Humanitarian aid efforts face severe challenges due to Israeli restrictions, ongoing violence, and a collapse in law and order, leaving countless people without access to essential supplies like food and medicine.