On Saturday, Israel conducted an airstrike in Jenin, located in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of two senior Hamas fighters, Ahmed Abu Ara and Rafet Dawasi. The Israeli authorities identified these individuals as responsible for planning a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley last week, which resulted in the death of Israeli man Yonatan Deutsch.
Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas responded by confirming the fighters' deaths and claiming responsibility for the day's killing of an Israeli soldier in the Jordan Valley near Mehola. According to reports, this attack was carried out in retribution for an earlier Israeli airstrike that caused serious civilian deaths at a school in Gaza City.
The violence in the West Bank has increased since Israel and Hamas began their fight in Gaza in October. This escalation may be seen in the Palestinian street violence, the attacks by Jewish settlers, and the increased Israeli military raids. Among the foreign actors who have condemned the recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the region of Qalqilya are the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
Next week in Doha, fresh negotiations to resolve the Gaza war are planned to continue as the battle rages on. There is rising concern that the violence currently occurring in Gaza and the West Bank may turn into a larger regional battle including other parties like Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
