Kathmandu— An Israeli military airstrike in Jenin, located in the occupied West Bank, resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians on Friday. The Israeli army stated it “eliminated” the individuals, identifying one as a Hamas operative and two others as his associates. The strike occurred amidst heightened tensions in the region and follows months of increased violence by both Israeli forces and settlers, though direct military strikes in the West Bank have been infrequent since February 2025.

Details of the Strike

The Israeli military said the airstrike targeted a vehicle carrying the three men. The Palestine Red Crescent ambulance service reported that following the strike, Israeli ground troops raided the area, briefly detaining medics and preventing them from reaching those killed or wounded. Photos taken by AFP showed soldiers removing a body from a house under construction on the outskirts of Jenin.

Reactions to the Incident

Hamas condemned the strike but did not claim any of the targeted individuals as members, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that one of those killed, Qais Bitawi, was a senior operative within its armed wing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “successful thwarting” of the three men. Defence Minister Israel Katz also congratulated the military and claimed the Jenin camp had been ‘evacuated of residents’ and that Israeli forces were now permanently stationed there.

Broader Regional Context

The strike in Jenin occurred alongside separate Israeli strikes in Gaza, which resulted in at least five deaths. The escalation takes place against a backdrop of ongoing conflict since the start of the war on October 7, 2023. Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for the United States-led Board of Peace, recently warned that the failure to adhere to peace agreements “threatens a collapse of the ceasefire in Gaza”.

The situation remains tense in both Jenin and Gaza as violence continues to escalate between Israeli forces and Palestinian groups. Further developments are expected as international actors attempt to de-escalate the conflict.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.