Palestinians say two killed in Israeli West Bank strike

The Palestinian health ministry said Monday two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, an attack confirmed by the Israeli military.

The Ramallah-based ministry said in a statement that two dead and three injured arrived at Tulkarem's Governmental Hospital "following the occupation's targeting of a vehicle in Nur Shams refugee camp", adjacent to the city of Tulkarem.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike, and said in a statement that "in a joint operation by the Israeli army and the Shin Bet (internal security agency), an air force aircraft launched an attack shortly ago in the Tulkarem area."

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the two killed as Ramez Damiri and Ihab Abu Atwi, both residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp.

The health ministry also announced the death of a young man killed Sunday night by Israeli forces in Qalandiya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem.

The ministry reported one dead and two injured "by (Israeli) bullets near Qalandiya camp".

Wafa news agency identified the man killed as Adam Sab Laban, shot by Israeli forces who were stationed at a military tower by the Qalandiya checkpoint into Jerusalem, and who "opened fire at a group of citizens".

Violence has soared throughout the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 861 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the health ministry.

At least 29 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids in the territory over the same period, according to Israeli official figures.