Israel has conducted near-daily raids in the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967, since launching its offensive in Gaza. More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials, since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed and and around 250 others taken hostage.
Israel’s offensive in the coastal enclave also continued Thursday, with the Israel Defense Forces saying its troops had killed dozens of militants and located large quantities of weapons in central and southern Gaza over the past day.
The IDF said in a statement that one of those killed was Osama Jadallah, a commander in the Islamic Jihad’s intelligence unit whom the IDF said took part in the Oct. 7 attacks.
Many of the families of those who remain held hostage in Gaza have sought to raise the pressure for a cease-fire deal that would end fighting in Gaza and see the release of their loved ones. But so far, renewed talks have failed to yield a deal.
On Thursday, some of the family members of the hostages took part in a planned protest near the enclave’s border — but the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents hostage families, said that “in their immense grief, the families broke through the fence, running towards the Gaza border.”
They were told by Israeli security forces to turn back and returned to nearby Kibbutz Nirim, the forum said.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that several Israeli civilians had approached the border of area of the Gaza Strip, but said they did not cross the border fence.
“The forces have removed the civilians, and there is no concern about crossing into Gaza,” they said.
Sara Mhaidli contributed.
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