Skip to main content

Israeli forces kill three in West Bank as PA officers shoot resistance fighters

Drone strike leaves two dead in Tubas, while troops shoot a man near his Nablus home
Mourners carry the body of 40-year-old Palestinian man Jaafar Dababshe during his funeral in the village of Taluza, north of Nablus in the occupied West Bank on 7 January 2025 (AFP/ Jaafar Ashtiyeh)
Mourners carry the body of 40-year-old Palestinian Jaafar Dababshe during his funeral in the village of Taluza, north of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on 7 January (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in an air strike and a shooting across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.  

An Israeli drone bombed the town of Tammun, south of the city of Tubas, after midnight, killing two Palestinians, including a teenager, according to Palestinian health officials. 

One of them was identified as Suleiman Mustafa Qushaytat, while the identity of the other man, whose body was withheld by Israeli forces, remains unknown.  

In Nablus, Israeli special forces “assassinated” Jaafar Ahmed Dababshe outside his home in the Taluza area, according to news outlet Arab48.  

Dababshe, a former prisoner, was mourned by Hamas as a member of the movement’s armed wing, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.  

New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch

Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters

The Israeli military confirmed both the drone strike in Tubas and the shooting in Nablus.

The attacks came as Israeli troops stormed several areas across the West Bank, including Tubas and Nablus.  

Armed clashes erupted in the Far'a refugee camp south of Tubas between Israeli forces and local resistance groups.  

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces opened fire at a vehicle north of Tulkarm, wounding three Palestinians inside, according to Al Jazeera.  

The three men were anti-Israel fighters, including a senior leader in the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Tulkarm Battalion.

Hamas condemned the shooting as a “dangerous escalation that aligns with the occupation's policies aimed at eliminating resistance and liquidating the Palestinian cause.”  

There was no immediate comment from the PA.  

'Red lines'  

The Tuesday violence comes as Israel and the PA continue to escalate deadly attacks against Palestinian fighters in the West Bank.  

A shooting near the village of al-Funduq, east of Qalqilya, on Monday killed three Israeli settlers and wounded eight others.  

'Our patience is running out, do not force us to reach the point of no return, which will have grave consequences'

 - al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades statement

Attackers targeted a bus and two cars near al-Funduq, where settlers often transit through to the illegal settlements of Kedumim, Shavei Shomron and others.

Israeli officials said two Palestinians were responsible for the shooting, with the fate of the attackers unknown.

A manhunt has been ongoing since, with Israeli forces raiding several Palestinian towns, detaining dozens of people and setting up roadblocks between cities.  

Meanwhile, Israeli settlers went on a rampage across several Palestinian towns at night, burning cars and other properties of civilians.  

In Jenin, the PA has continued its deadly campaign against anti-occupation armed groups.  

Since its launch last month, PA forces have killed at least eight Palestinian residents of the city, including a father and his son last week.  

Exclusive: Palestinian Authority requests $680m in security assistance from US, sources say
Read More »

At least six members of the PA security forces have also been killed, including some in exchanges of fire with members of the armed groups.  

The local branches of the Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the al-Qassam Brigades in the Jenin refugee camp released a statement on Monday condemning the PA’s actions, saying they had crossed “red lines”.  

“The PA has prevented everything from reaching the camp, including water, electricity and education,” a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades reading the statement said.  

“We call on every official in the country to take responsibility and put an end to the injustice happening in the camp.  

“Our patience is running out, do not force us to reach the point of no return, which will have grave consequences.”  

The PA insists that it is fighting “outlaws” in Jenin and aims to restore “law and order”.  

Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.