Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinian youths on Wednesday afternoon during a military assault in the area between the village of Masiliya and the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that it was informed by the General Authority for Civil Affairs of the killing of Muhammad Omar Zakarneh, 23, and Marouh Yasser Rateb Khuzaymiya, 19, who were shot dead by Israeli forces during the raid.

According to local sources, the Israeli military had earlier surrounded a cave in the quarry area between Masiliya and Qabatiya, unleashing a barrage of live ammunition and Energa anti-tank grenades before sending in bulldozers to demolish the site. Shocking video footage circulated online showed Israeli forces mutilating the bodies of the two slain youths after retrieving them from the cave, drawing widespread condemnation from human rights groups.

The latest killings mark a continuing escalation of Israeli military aggression in the Jenin area, particularly targeting the town of Qabatiya. Since October 7, 2023, at least 34 Palestinians from Qabatiya have been killed by Israeli occupation forces, as the town endures repeated raids, arrests, and destruction.

The Ministry of Public Works reported that Qabatiya has suffered four large-scale Israeli raids since the end of 2024 alone, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and private property. Estimated material losses now total nearly 8 million shekels (NIS).

Elsewhere in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army has intensified its campaign against refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams. Since January 21, 2025, dozens of Palestinians have been killed or wounded, thousands detained, and an estimated 40,000 people forcibly displaced. Reports indicate widespread devastation across these refugee camps, raising alarms of a deliberate policy of collective punishment and displacement.

The killing of Zakarneh and Khuzaymiya adds to the growing death toll of young Palestinians who have been targeted in Israeli raids amid a months-long escalation in the occupied territories. Calls for international intervention and accountability continue to mount as the Israeli occupation pursues a campaign of systematic violence, arrests, and destruction in Palestinian towns and camps. (ILKHA)