Tulkarem, West Bank — The Israeli military announced it killed a senior Hamas commander during an early morning operation in Tulkarem on the western edge of the occupied West Bank. The raid, described by Israeli forces as an “intelligence-based counterterrorism operation,” targeted a residential building in Tulkarem’s al-Salam neighborhood.
The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the deceased as 29-year-old Islam Jameel Odeh. According to reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli forces surrounded the building and attacked Odeh’s apartment with sustained gunfire and over 20 explosive shells.
Israeli authorities allege that Odeh assumed leadership of Hamas activities in Tulkarem following the October 3 killing of Zahi Oufi in an Israeli airstrike. They further claimed that Odeh was in the process of planning additional attacks.
The situation in the region remains tense as both sides respond to escalating operations and counteroperations, highlighting the continuing volatility in the West Bank.
