10 Palestinians killed in rare Israeli daylight operation in West Bank
BY BENJAMIN OMOIKE WITH AGENCY REPORTS
At least 10 Palestinians, including two Islamic Jihad commanders, were killed Wednesday in a major Israeli military operation in the West Bank that also left more than 100 injured, Palestinian officials said.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said those killed included a man who was 61 and another who was 72. The ministry added that 104 Palestinians were injured “with live ammunition… six of them in critical condition.” Israeli authorities said the military was targeting three suspects “planning attacks in the immediate future.”
Background: Israeli raids in the West Bank usually occur overnight. The last time the military conducted a daylight operation, it said it did so because of an immediate threat. Israel Army Radio reported that the raid was to stop an “imminent attack.”
Why it matters: Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis have been boiling in recent weeks. The operation brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces this year to 61.
That figure includes people shot as they attacked Israelis, militants targeted in raids, people who clashed with Israeli forces during raids, and bystanders, CNN records show.
Eleven Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks this year: seven in a shooting near a synagogue, three in a car ramming attack, and a border police officer who was stabbed by a teenager and then shot by friendly fire from a civilian security guard.
A CNN investigation has uncovered a network of black sites used by Iranian authorities to perpetrate the worst torture and abuses on an industrial scale. Cross-referencing witness testimony and satellite imagery, the CNN International investigations team has exposed at least two dozen sites, where due process is suspended and regime operatives have free rein.
The Palestinian team has never taken part in a World Cup tournament, but the territory’s presence was very much in evidence at Qatar 2022.
Fans interrupted press interviews shouting “free Palestine,” while some Moroccan players held up the Palestinian flag after their historic quarterfinal win against Portugal, making the Atlas Lions the first African and Arab team to reach the semifinals.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a constant source of tension in the Middle East since Israel’s creation in 1948, only made more tense after its capture of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in 1967.
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“The Israeli occupation doesn’t just affect me, but affects … Palestinian sports in general,” the Palestinian team’s goalkeeper Rami Hamadeh told CNN Sports.
“Whether it’s players being arrested or killed. Regardless of these restrictions, we are able to achieve our goals and perform well, and this shows in our 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification.”
While the FIFA World Cup 2026 is still three years away, the Palestinian national team is confident the West Asian and Asian Cups may help lead to a FIFA 2026 qualification.
“There’s a full plan to prepare our national team for the upcoming competitions, including the Asia Cup in January 2024 as well as the World Cup qualifications,” said General Secretary Abu Hilal.
