A shooting at a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank has killed at least three people and wounded seven others on Monday, Israeli doctors said. Violence has worsened in the territory since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 from Gaza triggered the current war in the area.
The attack occurred in the Palestinian village of Al-Funduq, on one of the main east-west roads that cross the territory. The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom indicated that among the deceased were two women in their 60s and a man in their 40s. The military said it was searching for the attackers.
The Palestinians have carried out dozens of shooting attacks, stabbings and assaults against Israelis in recent years. Israel has launched near-nightly military raids across the territory that frequently spark gunfights with militants. There has also been a notable increase in attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlerss, which has led the United States to impose sanctions.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health says that at least 838 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza. Most appear to have been militants killed in battles with Israeli troops, but also include participants in violent protests and civilian bystanders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahupromised to “locate the despicable murderers” behind Monday’s attack and “settle accounts with them and with everyone who helped them. “No one will be forgiven.”
Hamas praised the attack in a statement but did not claim responsibility.
Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, and the Palestinians want all three territories for their future state.
Some 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank under seemingly endless Israeli military rule, with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administering the population centers.
More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in more than 100 settlements in the territoryranging from small hillside outposts to sprawling communities resembling suburbs or small towns. The majority of the international community considers the settlements illegal.
War in Gaza without end
Meanwhile, the war in Gaza is burning without end in sight, although recent progress has been reported in long-running talks aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in a massive surprise attack nearly 15 months ago, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping about 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,800 Palestinians in Gazaaccording to local health authorities, who say that more than half of the dead are women and children. They do not specify how many of the dead were militiamen. The Israeli army says it has killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
Hamas has suffered heavy losses but has repeatedly regrouped after Israeli operations. Militants fired three projectiles toward Israel from Gaza on Monday, one of which was intercepted, the military said. There were no reports of casualties.
The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the territory’s population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. Hundreds of thousands They are enduring a cold and rainy winter in tent camps along the windy coast. At least seven babies have died of hypothermia due to the harsh conditions, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the collapse of law and order in many areas make it difficult to provide food and other desperately needed assistance.