Israel announces airstrike in occupied West Bank, Palestinian Authority says five dead

The Israeli army announced on Monday, August 26, that it had carried out an airstrike on the Palestinian refugee camp of Nour Shams, in the northern occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority reported five deaths as a result of this attack.

“An aircraft recently attacked an operational center in the Nour Chams area”announced a statement from the Israeli army. Questioned by AFP, the press service of Tsahal did not give details on the nature of the aircraft used for the attack, nor on the intended target. “Five dead were taken to the government hospital in Tulkarem following an occupation shelling on the Nour Shams camp”the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

Since the beginning of the year, the Nour Shams camp has been the scene of deadly fighting between the Israeli army and members of various Palestinian armed groups. In April, 14 Palestinians were killed there in 48 hours, during an Israeli military offensive on the ground. Since the attacks of October 7 and the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, violence has flared up in the occupied West Bank. At least 646 Palestinians have been killed there by the Israeli army or settlers, according to an AFP count. At least 18 Israelis have died, including soldiers in Palestinian attacks or during army operations in the Palestinian autonomous zone, according to official Israeli data.