Israel Attacks West Bank Mosque

Facts

• Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an air strike at a West Bank mosque on Sunday. Two people were killed and three more were injured, according to local officials.¹
• The IDF claimed that Hamas and other militant groups had been using the Al-Ansar Mosque in the Jenin refugee camp as a 'terrorist compound,' further alleging that those killed were planning an 'imminent terror attack.'²
• Later, the Israeli military released images that appear to show an entrance to a compound beneath the mosque. The IDF also released a diagram that it claims shows where militants had stored their weapons.³
• The strike on the Al-Ansar Mosque comes as the IDF reportedly killed five Palestinians overnight in the West Bank's Qabatiya, Tammun, and Nablus towns. It also arrested at least 42 Palestinians overnight, according to reporting from Palestinian news agency Wafa.¹
• Meanwhile, according to reporting in Israel, the country's Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies have jointly formed a special operations center tasked with tracking down and killing members of Hamas who infiltrated the country's south on Oct. 7. It will reportedly be named 'Nili' after the WWI-era Jewish underground organization of the same name.⁴
• The UN, which has called for 'a humanitarian ceasefire along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza, reports that ' more than 40% of Gaza's housing has been damaged or destroyed during the two-weeks Israel and Hamas have been war. At least 4,385 people have so far been killed, according to the latest figures.⁵

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²BBC News, ³Reuters, ⁴The Times of Israel and ⁵The New Arab.

Narratives

• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by CNN. Hamas leaders and their operatives are legitimate targets of the IDF. Following the scale of atrocities carried out by Hamas, Israel is in full battle mode — a justified response to terror attacks that target civilians. As Tel Aviv has every right to defend itself from terrorists, it must go all out to destroy Hamas militants for their vicious and terrorizing actions.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by The Guardian. Israeli forces have been using excessive and unnecessary lethal force against Palestinian people for years, yet are rarely held accountable. Continued atrocities against Palestinians must be stopped. Punishing civilians for Hamas' attacks is creating a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the territory and is akin to a war crime.

Predictions