Israeli Raid in West Bank Leaves 11 Palestinians Dead"

At least 11 Palestinians were killed and over 100 injured during a daytime raid by Israeli military forces in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli authorities claimed the operation in Nablus targeted three suspects who were "planning attacks in the immediate future." The three were "neutralized," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency said in a joint statement. All three of the suspected Palestinian militants targeted by the IDF were killed. The raid led to chaos in the area as Israeli snipers on the rooftops shot live ammunition, leading to a "massacre," as described by the local director of Red Crescent. The raid also saw drones dropping tear gas "randomly." The IDF's Dinar said that he hoped it was not true that Israeli troops had prevented medics from reaching the wounded. The Islamic Jihad militant group said two of its commanders were killed in the clashes with Israeli troops. The raid brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces to 61 this year, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israeli-Palestinian tensions have been on the rise in recent weeks, particularly after a series of clashes in Jerusalem's Old City and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This was followed by an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, which ended in a ceasefire in May. Since then, there have been sporadic clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the West Bank, including in the city of Hebron, where several Palestinians were killed during protests earlier this month. The latest incident in Nablus is likely to further fuel tensions and increase the risk of violence. Palestinian officials have condemned the Israeli raid and accused the IDF of using excessive force. "The Israeli occupation continues its crimes and violations against the Palestinian people," Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement. "The silence of the international community and its inability to provide protection to our people encourages the occupation to continue its aggression." Israel, for its part, defended the operation, saying it was necessary to prevent attacks on Israeli civilians. "We will not allow terror to dictate our lives," Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" about the violence and called on both sides to exercise restraint. "We urge Israeli and Palestinian officials to act decisively to deescalate tensions and bring a halt to the violence," a spokesperson for the department said. The latest violence comes at a sensitive time for the region, as Israel prepares to hold a general election next month. The Palestinian territories, meanwhile, have been mired in political turmoil following the cancellation of elections earlier this year and the ongoing rift between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is complex and has deep roots in history and geography. The current conflict began in the late 19th century with the Zionist movement and the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the region. After the British withdrawal from Palestine in 1948, the Arab-Israeli War broke out, resulting in the displacement of thousands of Palestinians and the creation of the state of Israel. Since then, the conflict has seen numerous violent flare-ups, as both sides continue to struggle for control of the region. The latest clashes come after weeks of tensions in the region, with both sides engaging in violent exchanges that have left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The unrest was sparked by a series of events, including a court decision to evict Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, which led to protests and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. This was followed by a series of rocket attacks launched by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, which prompted Israel to launch a massive military operation in the territory. The situation remains volatile, with both sides accusing the other of escalating the violence. The United Nations and other international organizations have called for an immediate end to the hostilities and for both sides to resume dialogue in order to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, the prospects for a peaceful resolution remain uncertain, as both sides remain deeply entrenched in their positions and show little willingness to compromise.