The Israeli military and a U.S. aid organization gave differing, murky accounts of the attack, which targeted people who were not originally part of the convoy.According to The New York Times, the three-day Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank has entered a new phase as troops began to pull back from the ravaged city of Tulkarm and shifted their focus to the flashpoint city of Jenin. Israeli security forces have reported killing a local Hamas commander in Jenin, while international criticism mounts over the operation.

Palestinian health authorities have reported 19 Palestinian deaths since the operation began on Wednesday night in Jenin and Tulkarm. Palestinian militant groups have claimed that at least some of those killed were fighters, as they continue to fight back against Israeli troops.

The Israeli military has stated that the raids are necessary to crack down on militant groups in the northern West Bank, which have carried out approximately 150 attacks against Israeli forces and civilians in the past year. The attacks have caused fear among ordinary Palestinians living in the two cities, who have been trapped in their homes for the past three days as gunfire echoes outside.

The operation, which is the most intensive and prolonged in the West Bank in over a year, has raised concerns of a more serious conflict in the territory. This comes at a time when the devastating war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is nearing its 11th month.

France has condemned the raids, stating that they are “worsening a climate of unprecedented instability and violence” in the West Bank. Britain has also expressed deep concern over the operation, particularly regarding reports of civilian casualties and infrastructure destruction. The British foreign office has stated that while they recognize Israel’s need to defend itself, they are worried about the methods being employed.

The Israeli police have announced that their special forces have killed Wisam Khazem, a local commander in Hamas, in the Jenin area. Two other militants affiliated with Hamas were also killed in a drone strike as they attempted to flee, according to a joint statement by the Israeli police and other security forces.

Hamas has acknowledged that Mr. Khazem was a commander in its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades. In a statement on Telegram, the group has vowed that the deaths of its militants will “chart the path to freedom and dignity.”

Meanwhile, in Tulkarm, Israeli troops have mostly left the area, according to Mustafa Taqatqa, the Palestinian governor of the region. However, the destruction left behind by the raids has caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure, and residents are now trying to pick up the pieces.

An Israeli security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has confirmed that Israeli forces have withdrawn from Nur Shams, the neighborhood in Tulkarm. 

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