On August 3, 2024, an Israeli drone strike in Tulkarem, occupied West Bank, killed five Palestinians, including a Hamas commander. The attack targeted a vehicle on a road connecting the towns of Attil and Zeyta. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it targeted a ‘terrorist cell’.Among the victims was Heysem Nureddin Bıleydi, a 25-year-old commander of Hamas’s military wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades. The other four victims were burned beyond recognition. Dr. Amin Khader, director of the Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarem, reported that ‘five martyrs arrived at the hospital after an Israeli attack with drones against a Palestinian vehicle near the village of Zeita’.This incident is part of escalating violence in the region. Since October 7, 2023, at least 595 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the West Bank, including 144 children. The attack has sparked outrage among Palestinians, leading to a general strike and day of mourning in Tulkarem.Concurrently, Israeli forces conducted raids in other parts of the West Bank. In East Jerusalem’s Isawiya neighborhood, live ammunition, tear gas, and sound bombs were fired at Palestinians, wounding three. In the village of Husan, west of Bethlehem, a 16-year-old was injured in an army raid, and four Palestinians were arrested in Nablus.The situation remains tense, with both sides reporting ongoing conflicts. The Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades stated, ‘We will continue to attack Israel, even if it costs the lives of our hostages,’ while the Israeli military maintains its operations against what it terms ‘terrorist cells’.
Key points
- An Israeli drone strike killed five Palestinians, including a Hamas commander, in Tulkarem, West Bank.
- The attack has led to increased tensions and a general strike in Tulkarem.
- Since October 2023, at least 595 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including 144 children.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported names of the Hamas commander killed.
Some sources refer to him as Heysem Nureddin Bıleydi, while others name him Haitham Nurridin Bleidi or Hisham Bileidi.
This could be due to variations in transliteration.
