Israel deepens military assault in northern Gaza Strip

Israel deepens military assault in northern Gaza Strip

Five Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on October 30, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Another Palestinian died of wounds sustained in an attack on a Jewish West Bank settler last week near Ramallah, the ministry said. Four Palestinians were killed in heavy clashes after dozens of military vehicles and two bulldozers entered the town of Jenin and and the adjacent refugee camp of the same name for an arrest raid. Israeli media reported that the battle included drone strikes a once rare, but now increasingly common attack mode used in the West Bank.

Another Palestinian man was killed in a military raid near Hebron. Violence has surged in the West Bank since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on Oct 7. Since then, Israeli forces and settlers killed 122 Palestinians, according to the health ministry.

HAMAS RELEASES VIDEO PURPORTEDLY SHOWING 3 HOSTAGES HAMAS RELEASES VIDEO PURPORTEDLY SHOWING 3 HOSTAGES

The militant Hamas group ruling Gaza released a video October 30 purporting to show three women captured during its Oct 7 attack inside Israel. One of the women delivers a brief statement, likely under duress, criticising Israel's response to the hostage crisis. Hamas and other militants captured around 240 people during the deadly raid and have said they will release them in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel has dismissed the offer.

US SAYS AMERICAN AND COALITION FORCES WERE ATTACKED 23 TIMES IN IRAQ, SYRIA US SAYS AMERICAN AND COALITION FORCES WERE ATTACKED 23 TIMES IN IRAQ, SYRIA

Two US senior defence officials briefing reporters at the Pentagon on Monday said that from Oct 17 to Oct 30, US and coalition forces were attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and nine times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets for a total of 23 attacks. The officials said many of the drones and rockets were intercepted and failed to reach their targets.

Bases housing US troops in Syria and Iraq have come under rocket and drone attacks over the past weeks as tensions in the region rise over the Israel-Hamas war.