War, latest news. IDF soldiers killed in Hebron; total lockdown in the West Bank. Gaza: UNICEF reports 351 children killed since the start of the ceasefire

Hebron

In Cisgiordania

fonte: Google Maps

“The Jenin refugee camp model is coming to Hebron. The entire neighbourhood of the family clan in Hebron, from which the terrorists emerged today, will be evacuated of its inhabitants, and the terrorist infrastructure present in the neighbourhood will be tackled and neutralised. It is the only language that jihadist terrorism understands. Just as in Gaza, just as in Lebanon.” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote this on X.

The two men responsible for an attack on a checkpoint near Hebron in the West Bank have been identified; they were killed by the IDF following a gun battle lasting around twenty minutes.

They are Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, two 27-year-old Palestinians from Hebron who are members of the same family, although the exact nature of their relationship is not yet clear. This was reported by Palestinian sources and Israeli security officials quoted by the Times of Israel.

The IDF spokesperson has stated that soldiers are carrying out “offensive counter-terrorism operations in the Hebron area , which is under a security lockdown, and in other areas. The military are operating inside the homes of terrorists and other suspects”.

“The troops’ swift response prevented an even more serious attack,” said the IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir.

“Following the attack, I have ordered the immediate demolition of a large number of unauthorised Arab buildings situated in the immediate vicinity of the attack site in the West Bank. The order will be carried out within the next hour and operations will continue throughout the afternoon.” This was posted on X by the far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich.

“The morning began with the distressing news of the attack. Together with the people of Israel, I pray for the full and speedy recovery of those injured. I commend the courage of the soldiers who, according to the Israeli Defence Forces’ assessment, foiled a serious terrorist attack against civilians, and I stand with all the security forces working day and night across various sectors to ensure Israel’s security.” This is how Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and former Chief of Staff of the IDF, commented in ‘X’ on the firefight near Hebron, which Hamas hailed as ‘a heroic act’.

Jordanian media are reporting that at least seven people have been killed in a shooting at a church in the village of Hamud. According to reports, two armed men opened fire during a funeral service. A major operation is under way to track down those responsible. Ten people have been injured.

In the wake of the killing of a Syrian man with a disability by an Israeli sniper south of Damascus, activists and members of civil society have organised protest sit-ins for today – the weekly day of rest – in the capital, in Daraa, the capital of the southern region where the killing by Israeli occupation forces took place yesterday, and in three other Syrian cities.

According to the leaflets announcing the demonstrations, the rally in Damascus is scheduled for 2 pm outside the United Nations headquarters in the Mezze district, whilst at 4 pm demonstrators are expected in Daraa, Homs, Masyaf (Hama) and Raqqa, in the north.

“We do not agree. We are in favour of the Palestinian people finally realising their dream” of a state, “living in peace with Israel, whose security must be guaranteed. But it is not by targeting the Palestinian population – especially the peaceful Christian villages – that Israel’s security problem will be resolved.” This was stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Istanbul, commenting on Netanyahu’s announcement of a “total closure” of the West Bank. “Hamas must be disarmed; there must be stability in Gaza; terrorists must be neutralised by disarming them completely – and this is an important aspect – but we cannot fail to recognise the importance of establishing a Palestinian state.”

Eight children were killed in the Gaza Strip in the space of a week. This brings the total number of children killed since the ceasefire was announced in October 2025 to 351. This represents an “unacceptable level of violence against children”, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“On 17 October, in Deir al-Balah, in the Gaza Strip, 14-year-old Mohamed was walking home from a UNICEF-supported learning centre when he was struck and killed on the street by an armed drone strike. His school rucksack was found next to his body. The following day, six-year-old Misk, a Year 1 pupil at a UNICEF learning centre, was at home when she was killed by gunfire in al-Maghazi. Later that same day, 12-year-old Tamer was struck whilst he was among the rubble of his home in the Beit Lahia area,” said the UNICEF director.

“On Tuesday 20 October,” continued Beigbeder, “14-year-old Baraa was killed by tank fire in the northern part of Nuseirat, and in the early hours of yesterday morning a shell struck a school where some families had taken refuge, injuring two children.”

“For children who survive the attacks, their physical and mental recovery is further hampered by Gaza’s healthcare system, which is now on its last legs – he went on to point out – as in the case of 16-year-old Raghad, who six days ago had left home to go to her learning centre when she was hit in the back by a bullet near Beit Lahia. The bullet lodged between her spine and her lungs. She is in constant pain and struggles to breathe. Doctors say she needs surgery, but without the equipment needed to obtain clear images, they cannot operate safely. For now, Raghad is waiting, not knowing when she will receive the treatment she needs.”

“Children must be protected wherever they are: at home, whilst playing, on their way to or from school, everywhere. They have already suffered enough. The children of Gaza are trying to reclaim their childhood, to find a little routine and stability in their young lives, which for far too many have once again been cut short. A ceasefire that does not protect children has betrayed them,” he concluded.

“We know the five Italian activists who were detained in the village of al-Bweib, south of Hebron; we met them on Monday evening, the night before our arrest – they were among the volunteers who had just arrived.” This was stated by Alberto Tartarotti, who returned to Italia on Wednesday evening after being arrested on Tuesday 20 October, along with his son Manuel, by the Israeli police on charges of terrorism and subsequently deported. “We had a chat; that’s how we got to know them. On Tuesday morning, we had to organise the distribution of volunteers to the olive groves for the harvest. Mind you, word got round that we were going to pick olives for the Palestinians; in reality, the Palestinians have always picked their own olives,” Alberto Tartarotti explained to ANSA: “The presence of international volunteers serves as a shield, to protect them from settler raids, not to pick olives”. The two men from Bolzano had been in the West Bank since 18 October to work with Youth of Sumud, the voluntary organisation that won the Alex Langer Prize in 2024. “Obviously, they don’t want any witnesses; that’s why they keep arresting and then deporting activists – we’re a thorn in their side,” explains Alberto Tartarotti. Father and son were arrested on Tuesday morning, questioned, had their fingerprints and DNA taken, and were kept in handcuffs until nightfall. The following day, after spending the night in a cell, they returned to Italia on an Israeli scheduled flight. According to the Israeli police, the two activists had taken part in unauthorised olive harvesting, before fleeing into a military training area when the officers arrived. Both have been banned from entering Israel for ten years. “Very little is said about what is happening in the West Bank, and the same thing that happened in Gaza is happening there now. We must remain vigilant,” explains Alberto Tartarotti.

Before leaving for Florida, US President Donald Trump stated today at the White House that, with regard to Iran, the question for him is: “Do we want to put an end to it once and for all, or let it wear itself down slowly?”

“We are getting everything we want. If we wanted to, we could simply take all the oil. We could conquer the whole country,” Trump told reporters in Washington, reiterating that “the Strait of Hormuz is completely under our control”.

MotoGP riders are calling for safety guarantees before travelling to Qatar in early November for a race weekend that Dorna and the Doha authorities intend to go ahead with. This is according to the Motorsport.com website. The Qatar Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April at the Losail Circuit, had been postponed to the weekend of 6–8 November due to the conflict that has been ongoing since the end of February – pitting the United States and Israel against Iran – with serious repercussions for the Gulf states. According to Motorsport.com, several riders met yesterday and today at the Phillip Island circuit – following discussions in a dedicated WhatsApp group during the Indonesian Grand Prix – to ask the MotoGP organisers for written guarantees, a necessary condition for them to agree to travel to Qatar. Some riders, including Alex Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia, are demanding an evacuation plan for the entire paddock, coverage of accommodation costs in the event of airspace closure due to bombing, and a guarantee of repatriation should the military conflict escalate again. Officially, Qatar remains on the calendar from 6 to 8 November as the 20th round of the MotoGP World Championship, following Malaysia and preceding the rounds in Portugal and Spain (Valencia). Formula 1 had cancelled the Saudi Arabian (Jeddah) and Bahrain Grands Prix scheduled for April, but subsequently moved the latter to Malaysia in early October. The final two Grands Prix of the F1 season, in Qatar (27–29 November) and Abu Dhabi (4–6 December), have been officially confirmed by the F1 organiser and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.