After unleashing devastation in northern and southern Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have turned their attention to the West Bank. The city of Tulkarm, in the Nur Shams area, has been subjected to the IDF's fury. Many homes have been reduced to rubble, and bloodstains are visible everywhere. Heaps of bullet casings can be found amidst the chaos. On Saturday, the Israeli army carried out a substantial raid causing extensive life and property loss.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that the IDF has killed 14 Palestinians in the West Bank. Many have been injured, and a number of Palestinians were arrested and taken away by Israeli soldiers. In another assault, Israeli forces shot an ambulance driver in the chest while he was attempting to retrieve an injured Palestinian during the raid.
The IDF began its extensive raids on Friday, and they continued into Saturday. Crowds of Israeli soldiers were seen, along with three drones hovering over the Nur Shams area. There were intense exchanges of gunfire with armed Israeli fighters, claiming the lives of several alleged terrorists and resulting in multiple arrests.
The conflict between Hamas and Israel has been ongoing for over six months with no signs of abating. In the meantime, Israelis' frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is growing. Once again, on Saturday, thousands took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and across Israel, protesting against PM Netanyahu and demanding the release of hostages in Gaza.
Protesters accuse PM Netanyahu of being indifferent to the hostages' release, calling him a dictator from whom they desperately want liberation but to no avail. One demonstrator, Bat Hen, said, 'We've been trying to rid ourselves of this dictator for over a decade. Sadly, we haven't been very successful, and it's costing us dearly.'
Protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continue across Israel. Before the Hamas attacks on October 7 last year, thousands of Israelis staged similar protests every Saturday, calling for Netanyahu's resignation over corruption allegations, and now the demand has intensified following perceived failures on the security front.
