Two Palestinian teenagers have been shot dead during an Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank, according to local residents and health officials, as a stark new report highlights the ongoing toll on children in Gaza.
Details of the Overnight Raid
The incident occurred overnight in the town of Kfar Aqab. The Palestinian health ministry identified the victims as Sami Ibrahim Mashaikha, aged 16, and Amr Khaled Al-Marboua, aged 18.
Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces deployed extensively throughout the town, taking positions on streets and building rooftops before opening fire.
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
In a statement provided to Sky News, Israel Police stated that its forces were operating "against hostile elements seeking to harm security forces and provoke violent disorder."
The police claimed the operation was met with a violent disturbance involving dozens of individuals, who engaged in heavy stone-throwing and launched fireworks towards the forces. They also reported hearing gunfire from an unidentified source in the vicinity.
"The forces fired at four individuals who posed an immediate threat to the personnel," the statement said, adding that those hit were evacuated for medical treatment.
A Broader Context of Escalating Violence
This fatal raid is not an isolated event. A Reuters tally confirms that six Palestinian minors under the age of 18 have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank this month alone.
The violence in the West Bank persists despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that took effect on 10 October.
In a separate development, residents in communities near Nablus reported that Israeli settlers attacked the areas of Huwara and Abu Falah overnight, setting properties ablaze. The Israeli military stated that soldiers responded to these reports but no suspects were found during subsequent searches.
The Grim Toll on Children in Gaza
Meanwhile, the situation for children in Gaza remains dire. A UNICEF spokesperson, Ricardo Pires, addressed reporters in Geneva, revealing that at least 67 children have been killed in conflict-related incidents in Gaza since the ceasefire began last month.
"Dozens more have been injured. That is an average of almost two children killed every day since the ceasefire took effect," Pires stated.
The broader conflict, which was triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of over 68,000 people in Gaza from Israeli military action over the past two years.
The ongoing cycle of violence underscores the fragile nature of the current truce and the profound human cost of the conflict, with young lives continuing to be lost on all sides.
