Hamas threatens

Five killed in West Bank mosque attack

The destroyed mosque in the West Bank(Bild: AFP/Zain Jaafar)

Israel's military has killed five Palestinian fighters who were hiding in a mosque in the West Bank. A large-scale offensive had started there on Wednesday (see video above). Previously, there had been increasing militant activity in the West Bank, said a military spokesman.

According to reports, there was a firefight between the militants and Israeli forces in the mosque. One of those killed is said to have been a high-ranking leader of a terrorist network in the local refugee district. Another Palestinian militant was arrested during an operation in Tulkarem.

At least ten more dead
As reported, at least ten people had already been killed in the Israeli operation in the West Bank on Wednesday. According to the army, it entered several towns on Wednesday night, including Tulkarem and Jenin. Several wanted Palestinians were arrested. According to official information, the background to this is the increasing number of attacks on Israelis. At the same time, violence by extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank has increased.

The destroyed mosque(Bild: AFP/Zain Jaafar)

Before the attack(Bild: AFP/Zain Jaafar)

Israeli soldiers in the West Bank(Bild: AFP/Jaafar Ashtiyeh)

The military offensive began on Wednesday.(Bild: AFP/Zain Jafaar)

Hamas threatens suicide attacks
In response to Israel's actions in the West Bank and the ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has now called for the resumption of suicide attacks, according to Arab media. The current situation calls for an "open conflict", said Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. The supporters should therefore "take part in the actual resistance against the Zionist entity (Israel) on several fronts".

Meanwhile, the United Nations criticized the severity of Israel's large-scale military operation. It said that lethal force and firearms should only be used by security forces as a last resort in cases of imminent danger of death or serious injury.

Israel's military conquered the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in 1967. The Palestinians claim these territories for their own state.