Israeli army announces new operation in N West Bank

JERUSALEM, Nov 26 (AFP): The Israeli military on Wednesday announced a new "counterterrorism" operation in the north of the occupied West Bank.
The military and internal security service said in a joint statement that they "began operating as part of a broad counterterrorism operation in the area of northern Samaria", using the Israeli biblical term for part of the West Bank.
In response to a question from AFP, the Israeli army said the operation was new and not part of its counterterrorism operation launched in January 2025, which primarily targets Palestinian refugee camps.
Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has soared since the Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war in October 2023.
It has not ceased despite the fragile truce in effect in Gaza since October 10.
Israel returns 15
Palestinian bodies
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal.
"The Ministry of Health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs released today by the Israeli occupation via the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 345," the ministry said in a statement.