Israel says Hamas military chief in West Bank's Jenin eliminated

Jerusalem, Aug 30 (IANS) Israel announced on Friday that it had killed Hamas' commander in Jenin, the West Bank, on the third day of one of its largest assaults in the Israeli-occupied territory in months.

In a joint statement, the Israeli Defense Forces and the Shin Bet domestic security agency identified the commander as Wassem Hazem. According to the Israeli military, Hazem was the head of Hamas in Jenin and was involved in orchestrating shooting and bombing attacks against Israelis, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hazem was killed in a vehicle that contained weapons during a gunfight. Two other Hamas militants were killed by a drone while trying to escape from the car. No injuries were reported among Israeli forces.

Israel launched a large-scale raid across the northern West Bank early Wednesday, stating that the operation aims to prevent future attacks against Israel. Palestinian sources reported extensive damage to roads, homes, and infrastructure. The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed that 16 people have been killed in the raid.

More than 650 people have been killed in the West Bank since the start of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year, according to the ministry.

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