Tel Aviv: Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the Israeli occupation army has expanded its open-fire orders in the occupied West Bank, leading to an increase in the number of Palestinian civilian casualties. The newspaper added, quoting commanders of units in the occupation army, that the so-called “Central Command” has decided to implement the open-fire mechanism it used in the Gaza Strip to kill any unarmed Palestinian, whether suspected or not, in the West Bank.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, the broad open-fire orders have made it easier for soldiers to pull the trigger under the directive of the commander of the Central Command, Avi Balut. Since January 21, the Israeli occupation has carried out unprecedented aggression in the northern West Bank governorates, beginning with Jenin and its camp, and expanding operations to the city of Tulkarm and its camps, as well as the town of Tamoun and the Far’a camp in the Tubas governorate.
Haaretz quoted soldiers involved in the ongoing aggression in the West Bank, stating that Balut has permitted shooting to kill Palestinians without attempting to detain them. The newspaper also cited leaders of the occupation army units, saying that the commander of the West Bank Division, Yaki Dolph, ordered soldiers to shoot at any vehicle approaching a checkpoint from a combat zone. This order was implemented on Sunday when soldiers opened fire on a car heading to a military checkpoint, resulting in the killing of a man and a woman, despite them being unarmed.
Yesterday, Sundus Jamal Mohammad Shalabi, 23, and her fetus were killed, while her husband was critically wounded in the head after Israeli occupation forces opened fire on their vehicle while they were attempting to flee from the Nour Shams camp east of Tulkarm. The newspaper explained that an Israeli military force used Palestinian civilians to search buildings suspected of containing explosives, similar to tactics used in the Gaza Strip, where civilians were used as human shields.
Meanwhile, Haaretz revealed details of the killing of Rahaf Fouad Abdullah Al-Ashqar, 21, in the Nour Shams camp. The newspaper reported that the occupation army planted a bomb to blow up the entrance of a house and storm it without notifying those inside. When Rahaf opened the door, the bomb detonated, resulting in her death.
In tandem with the genocidal war launched on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, Israeli occupation forces and colonists have intensified their attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These actions have resulted in the deaths of 910 citizens, including 183 children, and injuries to about 7,000 others.
Since the start of 2025, 75 Palestinians have been killed, including 11 children, according to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.