Israeli forces kill pregnant Palestinian woman in Gaza as settler attacks rise in West Bank

Israeli security forces said they shot and killed a 28‑year‑old Palestinian woman who was eight months pregnant during an operation in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, according to statements from the Gaza health ministry. The ministry reported that the woman, identified as Aisha Al‑Hussein, was struck while she was walking near the Al‑Shifa hospital, a site that has been the focus of intense fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants since the conflict escalated in early October. The health ministry added that the incident brought the death toll in Gaza to over 8,000 civilians since the start of the hostilities, and that dozens of other civilians were injured in the same exchange of fire.

At the same time, reports from human‑rights organizations and local authorities indicated a surge in violent attacks by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, with several incidents of arson, property damage and physical assaults on Palestinian residents recorded in the past week. The Israeli police have opened investigations into the incidents, while Palestinian officials have condemned the attacks as “pogroms” and called for increased security measures. The dual developments underscore the heightened volatility in both Gaza and the West Bank, prompting renewed calls from the international community for de‑escalation and protection of civilian populations.