Israel's army on Friday announced the killing of the leader of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad for the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The military announced that Mohammad Abdullah was "eliminated" on Thursday when Israeli planes attacked a camp in Tulkarem.

The operation also resulted in the death of another "terrorist" and the recovery of M-16 rifles and vests. Abdullah took over from Muhammad Jabber, also known as Abu Shujaa, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in late August. Islamic Jihad is allied with Hamas, and both groups are fighting against Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Ever since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel in October of last year, there has been a substantial rise in violence in the West Bank. The health ministry in Ramallah reports that since then, at least 705 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers in the West Bank. 

According to Israeli officials, throughout the same period in the West Bank, at least 24 Israelis—citizens or members of the security forces—have perished in attacks carried out by Palestinian militants or in Israeli military operations.