Local Hamas commander killed in West Bank, says Israeli military

Israel's forces continue operations in Jenin, Tulkarm amid more calls for de-escalation

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Israeli forces killed a local commander of the Islamist movement Hamas in the flashpoint city of Jenin on Aug 30 as they pressed on with a major operation in the occupied West Bank for a third day, the Israeli military said.

The military said Border Police forces had killed Wassem Hazem, who it said was the head of Hamas in Jenin and was involved in shooting and bombing attacks in the Palestinian territory.

Two other Hamas gunmen who tried to flee the car they were all travelling in were killed by a drone, it said. Weapons, explosives and large sums of cash were found in the vehicle, it added.

Hamas confirmed the death of all three men, who it said were members of its Al-Qassam Brigades armed wing.

In the village of Zababdeh, just outside Jenin, a burnt-out car riddled with bullet holes stood against a wall where the driver crashed the vehicle after being pursued by an Israeli special forces unit, residents said.