RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli forces killed at least 14 Palestinians, including a gunman and a 16-year-old boy, in a raid in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, according to Palestinian authorities. The violence also claimed the life of an ambulance driver who was responding to a separate attack by Jewish settlers.
The confrontation began during an extended operation by Israeli forces that started in the early hours of Friday near Nur Shams, close to the volatile city of Tulkarm. Clashes continued into Saturday, with Israeli military vehicles deploying and gunfire echoing in the area, while at least three drones were observed overhead.
Nur Shams, which houses refugees and their descendants from the 1948 war that led to the establishment of Israel, became a battleground as the Tulkarm Brigades — a coalition of fighters from various Palestinian factions — engaged Israeli troops.
The West Bank, a territory central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The region is roughly 60 miles long and 30 miles wide.
Palestinian health officials confirmed the death toll was among the highest in recent months for a single incident in the West Bank. On Friday, another Palestinian man was killed under related circumstances.
The Israeli military reported that several militants were killed or apprehended, and at least four soldiers sustained injuries during the firefights.
