Israeli soldiers killed 10 Palestinians, including at least three gunmen, and wounded scores more during a raid on a usually bustling street in the central West Bank city of Nablus, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.
The Israeli army said the raid had been carried out against suspected militants accused of shootings in the West Bank who were staying “in a hideout apartment”, and that its troops came under live fire but suffered no casualties.
Top Palestinian official Hussein Al Sheikh condemned the incursion as a “massacre” and called for “international protection for our people”.
The Arab League said the raid amounted to a “heinous crime”.
Health officials said 82 people were admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds while the Red Crescent said it had treated 250 for tear gas inhalation and other injuries.
An Israeli raid last month in nearby Jenin also killed 10 in what was the deadliest operation in the West Bank since 2005.
Huge crowds gathered outside Nablus's Rafidia hospital, waiting for news of dozens of casualties being treated at the facility.
The Israeli military said it had killed the three suspected militants either while they were fleeing or in an “exchange of fire”.
“Armed suspects shot heavily towards the forces, who responded with live fire,” said the military. It added that rocks, explosive devices and Molotov cocktails were thrown at Israeli troops.
The Islamic Jihad militant group said one of its commanders had been killed “in a heroic battle against the Israeli occupation army and its special forces”.
The Lions' Den, a local band of fighters, said six of those killed were militants from various factions.
The Quds Network news agency named the commanders as Hussam Islim and Mohammad Abu Bakr.
Among the civilians killed were a 72-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy.
The wounded include Palestine TV journalist Mohammed Al Khatib, who was shot in the hand, his colleague told AFP. Three medical workers were also among the wounded that included six critically injured, local medical staff said.
A witness told The National they had seen Israeli troops blocking ambulances from reaching some of the wounded.
Israeli soldiers withdrew from the area after about three hours.
Nablus and Jenin have been targets of Israeli raids against armed Palestinian factions over the past year following a spate of deadly Palestinian attacks in Israeli cities.
At least 57 Palestinians, including gunmen and civilians, have been killed so far this year, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Last year was the deadliest for Palestinians since the UN began keeping records in the early 2000s.
Ten Israelis and a Ukrainian tourist have been killed this year.
The Palestinian Information Centre, an online platform, shared a video showing of black smoke rising in the area where the confrontations took place on Wednesday afternoon.
“Men are burning tyres to distort Israeli occupation forces surrounding a home in Nablus's old city,” it said.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “We condemn the occupation's raid into Nablus and we call for an end to the continued attacks against our people.”
Saeed Abu Ali, the Arab League's assistant secretary general for Palestinian affairs, said: “The occupation authorities and the far-right Israeli government are responsible for this horrible massacre.”
The latest Israeli incursion follows an appeal by UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland for the violence to be halted as an “urgent priority”.
“We have seen ominous signs of what awaits if we fail to address the current instability,” he told the UN Security Council on Monday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Israel and the Palestinian territories last month, spoke on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and separately with Mr Abbas, calling both to “restore calm”.
Hamas, another Palestinian militant group that sometimes fights alongside Islamic Jihad, hinted at possible reprisals from the Gaza Strip, a territory that it controls.
“The resistance in Gaza is monitoring the escalating crimes conducted by the enemy against our people in the occupied West Bank and is running out of patience,” Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Hamas armed wing, said on Telegram.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have sworn to destroy Israel but have in the past observed Egyptian-mediated truces with it.
Agencies contributed to this report
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
ROUTE%20TO%20TITLE
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SPECS
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
