Palestinian teen among 5 killed in Israeli airstrikes on West Bank

2/2/2025 6:32

A 16-year-old Palestinian boy was killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, as a large-scale Israeli military operation there looks set to continue for a third week.



The Israeli military began raiding the city in the northern West Bank on Jan. 21, just two days after a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas came into effect.



Hundreds of Israeli soldiers, backed by the air force, have since engaged in gun battles with Palestinian militants in Jenin as they search for military weapons and equipment, Israel says.



Asked whether a teenage boy had been killed in an air strike, the Israeli military said the air force had struck "armed terrorists" in the Jenin area, declining further comment.



At least 18 Palestinians, including six members of armed militant groups and a two-year-old girl, have been killed in Jenin and nearby villages during the operation, according to Palestinian officials.



The Israeli military said forces had killed at least 18 militants and detained 60 wanted individuals, dismantling more than 100 explosive devices and seizing a weapons-making workshop.