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Photo:
Palestinians burn tires during an IDF raid in Tubas in the West Bank, on Tuesday. Credit: Raneen Sawafta/Reuters Published by Haaretz

70-year-old Roukhi Sawafta, who was killed by IDF fire on Tuesday. Published by Haaretz

14-year-old Muhammad Abdelqader Heraz. Published by Haaretz
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The father of a central Hamas leader was killed by IDF fire during his arrest, according to the Palestinians. Since the beginning of the war with Hamas, 121 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank.

by Jack Khoury & Yaniv Kubovich for Haaretz
Oct 31, 2023 6:20 pm IST

A central Hamas operative in the West Bank, Nader Sawafta, was arrested on Tuesday at his father’s home in Tubas in the West Bank. During the arrest, Sawafta's 70-year-old father, Roukhi, was shot dead by the IDF after clashes broke out between soldiers and Palestinians. Witnesses said the victim suffered a direct hit and died on the spot.

Earlier today, the Palestinian Health Ministry announced that a 14-year-old, who was critically wounded on Monday by IDF gunfire in the village of Zawata near Nablus, had died of his wounds. The IDF confirmed that the boy, Muhammad Abdelqader Heraz, was shot during clashes between Israeli army forces and Palestinians.

The IDF announced that 38 wanted Palestinians had been detained in the West Bank overnight on Monday by the IDF, the Border Police and the Shin Bet, and that eight of the detainees were Hamas operatives. Israeli security forces also confiscated weapons during the operation.

In the town of Qabatiya near Jenin, Palestinians threw IEDs at Israeli forces, who then returned fire. In addition, confrontations developed between security forces and Palestinians during Israeli activity in Bethlehem's refugee camps, in which Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails and stones at the forces.

Since the beginning of the war, 121 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. Six of the deaths were caused by settler gunfire.

On Saturday, five Palestinians were killed in four separate clashes with Israeli forces across the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health ministry. The Israeli army confirmed two of the incidents.

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