Israeli forces kill commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade during West Bank raid

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Israeli forces killed the local commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade and arrested suspected Palestinian militants during a raid on the West Bank on Friday, officials said. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, formed in late 2000, is recognized as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

Israeli undercover forces secretly entered the Faraa refugee camp, a stronghold of terror activity, near the northern town of Tubas on Friday morning and set up sniper positions on top of buildings, residents said.

The undercover operation ultimately resulted in a firefight with local gunmen that left six Palestinians killed. The Palestinian Health Ministry revealed the dead included the founder of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular nationalist Fatah party.

The operation in the West Bank comes as Israel continues its war with Hamas in Gaza, days after a cease-fire temporarily ended.

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An Israeli army vehicle removes tires blocking roads that Palestinians had set on fire during a military raid into Faraa refugee camp, West Bank, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. The Palestinian Health Ministry says that five Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided the camp prompting fighting with local militants.  (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

The Israeli military has not publicly addressed the operation, which follows other deadly military raids and an increase in restrictions on Palestinian residents across the West Bank during the Israel-Hamas war.

A 14-year-old boy was also killed during Friday’s attack, health officials said. Thousands of people flooded the streets after the attack to mourn their loss and protest the continued loss of civilian Palestinian lives.

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A Palestinian fighter takes part in the funeral of men killed during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank, on December 8, 2023, in the village of al-Fara. Israeli forces shot dead six Palestinians on December 8, 2023, in a raid on a refugee camp in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.  (ZAIN JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed 267 Palestinians in the West Bank since Hamas triggered the current war with their surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and roughly 240 were taken hostage.

A convoy of Israeli army vehicles is seen during a military raid into Faraa refugee camp, West Bank, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. The Palestinian Health Ministry says that five Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided the camp prompting fighting with local militants.  (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Most of these Palestinians were killed during shootouts after Israeli military forces entered the West Bank to arrest suspected militants, officials said.

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The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, reported that Israeli forces raided a number of towns across the occupied territory early Friday, arresting 32 people, including two in the Faraa camp.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.