Israel’s biggest Ramallah raid in years kills 16-year-old in refugee camp

Israeli forces raided the Palestinian administrative capital of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, killing a 16-year-old in a refugee camp during their biggest such operation into the city in years.

The Israeli military said security forces had conducted a counter-terrorism operation in the camp during which a riot broke out, with rocks and petrol bombs thrown at soldiers, who responded with live fire.

In a separate West Bank raid, Israeli forces killed a 10-year-old boy in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. Citing medical sources, it said the boy had been shot in the head by Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Palestinians inspect the damage to residential buildings. As the fighting rages on, the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip has only worsened. Source: AP / Fatima Shbair

Violence surges across West Bank

Violence has surged across the West Bank in parallel to the Gaza war, with at least 400 Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers, and Israel regularly raiding Palestinian areas across the territory it occupied in 1967.

Witnesses in Ramallah said the Israeli forces had driven dozens of military vehicles into the city, the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority (PA) led by President Mahmoud Abbas, which exercises limited self-rule over parts of the West Bank.

The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces shot and killed 16-year-old Mustafa Abu Shalbak while raiding Am’ari refugee camp.

WAFA reported confrontations broke out as Israeli forces stormed the camp, “during which live bullets were fired at Palestinian youths”, wounding Abu Shalbak in the neck and chest.

The Israeli military said security forces had conducted a six-hour-long operation in the camp, apprehending two wanted suspects, questioning others and seizing “inciting material spread by Hamas”.

“During the operation, a violent riot developed, in which suspects hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli security forces, who responded with live fire. A hit was identified,” it said.

Hamas presses on with Gaza truce talks without Israel

Hamas and Egyptian mediators say they are pressing on with talks on

despite an Israeli decision not to send a delegation.

The ceasefire talks, which began on Sunday in Cairo, are billed as a final hurdle to establish the first extended ceasefire of the five-month-old war, in time for Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, which is expected to begin on Sunday.

Israel has declined to comment publicly on the Cairo talks, including its decision not to attend.

Israel has reportedly stayed away because Hamas refused a request to list which hostages are still alive, information the Palestinian militants say they will provide only once terms are agreed.

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