716 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, illegal settlers in West Bank since Oct. 7: Health Ministry

RAMALLAH, Palestine

At least 716 Palestinians, including 160 children, have been killed by Israeli army fires and illegal settler attacks in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, Palestine’s Health Ministry said Friday.

A ministry statement said the death toll from Israeli aggression in the West Bank has reached 716, with 5,750 wounded since last October.

Among the dead are 10 women, nine elderly, and 160 children, the statement added.

In addition to casualties, official Palestinian organizations reported that the Israeli military increased its operations and that illegal settlers escalated their attacks in the West Bank in parallel with Israel's war on Gaza, leading to the arrest of over 10,800 people.

The escalation follows a landmark July opinion by the International Court of Justice that declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land "illegal" and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio