Two children, eight-year-old Adam Samer al-Ghoul and 15-year-old Basil Suleiman Abu al-Wafa, were fatally shot by Israeli forces during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on November 29.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported the incident, stating the boys were unarmed and seen running away in video footage before being struck down by Israeli army bullets. The raid, lasting hours, involved the army designating Jenin a “closed military zone,” and resulted in clashes with resistance fighters.
The Israeli forces withdrew after the operation, during which they bulldozed roads, destroyed shops, and destroyed residences. Notably, the occupation army assassinated Muhammad al-Zubaidi, a Jenin Brigade commander, and Wissam Hanoun, another commander. This raid is part of a series, with Israeli troops having killed 244 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
Unverified videos circulated on social media depict the tragic events. One video shows an eight-year-old being hit, while another captures three boys running before one, identified as Al-Ghoul, falls to the ground. Despite attempts to drag his body to safety, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly prevented citizens and paramedics from reaching and treating the injured. The situation escalated as the Israeli military besieged the Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital in Jenin, restricting access to the emergency department.
This incident unfolds amid ongoing international efforts as Israel and Hamas have agreed on 30 November to extend a temporary truce by another day minutes before it was set to expire on the morning of Thursday 30 November.
The IDF stated on social media that: “The operational pause will continue in light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages and subject to the terms of the framework.” Hamas then clarified that the truce applies only to Gaza, emphasizing continued resistance elsewhere. As the region grapples with this tragedy, the world awaits developments in the pursuit of peace.
THE CONFLICT SO FAR
After a surprise attack conducted on 7 October by Hamas on a number of southern Israeli towns, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,200 people and more than 220 being taken hostage by Hamas, Israel launched a retaliatory bombing campaign against what it describes as ‘terrorist targets’ in the Gaza Strip.
At least 14,500 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip — including at least 5,500 children — and over 32,000 others injured. Meanwhile, at least 225 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and more than 2,700 injured. The death toll is no longer being regularly updated due to the collapse of the enclave’s health system.
Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on 22 November, announcing a four-day cessation of hostilities to facilitate the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza, 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and the entry of humanitarian aid. The truce began on 24 November.
During an event in support of Palestine at Cairo International Stadium, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed that the forced relocation of Palestinians is a “red line” for Egypt, and will not be accepted.
The priority of the Egyptian government since the beginning of the conflict has been deescalation and the securing of a path for aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.
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