Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?

Special Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?
Lebanon's new prime minister, Nawaf Salam, has been tasked to form a government to pull the war-scarred country out of economic crisis, after two years of a caretaker government. (AFP)
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Updated 16 January 2025
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Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?

Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?
  • Nawaf Salam’s appointment as Lebanon’s new prime minister reflects Hezbollah’s declining political influence
  • Broad international backing, including from Saudi Arabia and the EU, raises hope for reform and much-needed funding

DUBAI: From the halls of a top UN courthouse to steering a nation in turmoil, Nawaf Salam has been named as Lebanon’s new prime minister, signaling a shift in the political landscape toward consensus after two years of paralysis.

Salam, 71, a former president of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday tasked with forming a new government capable of implementing reforms to pull Lebanon out of the economic mire and spearhead postwar recovery.

He was nominated after securing 84 votes from the 128-member legislature, compared to nine votes for Najib Mikati, the caretaker prime minister, during consultations with parliamentary blocs on Monday led by Lebanon’s new President Joseph Aoun.




Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Lebanese presidency handout photo/AFP)

Thirty-four legislators abstained, opting instead for a “non-designation” stance after it became clear Mikati would lose.

Salam’s nomination was another strong indication of an emerging political consensus in Lebanon after last week’s election of army chief Aoun as president ended a two-year power vacuum.

Like Aoun, Salam does not hail from the country’s traditional political class or follow any political bloc.

The outcome was seen as a reflection of a growing momentum behind addressing Lebanon’s chronic governance challenges, restoring hope in the possibility of breaking the nation’s political gridlock amid a deeply divided parliament.




Lebanese people gather at Martyrs' Square in Beirut on January 13, 2025, in support of the nomination of former ICJ judge Nawaf Salam as prime minister of Lebanon. (AFP)

The choice of Salam also underscored the significant shift that has taken place in the balance of power among Lebanon’s sectarian factions in which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia had long held sway.

Lawmakers from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, failed to rally behind Mikati or delay the consultative process, which could have disrupted Salam’s designation.

In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister, casting him as a US-backed candidate.

His appointment over Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led alliance, reflected the militia’s declining influence following its recent pummeling by Israel and the toppling of its Syrian regime ally Bashar Assad in December.

Hezbollah and Amal’s decision to abstain, without explicitly naming an alternative candidate, indicated they currently do not intend to participate in Salam’s government.




Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammad Raad speaks after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, on January 13, 2025. (REUTERS)

Salam won the backing of Christian and Druze factions, as well as prominent Sunni MPs, including Hezbollah allies and opponents who have long demanded the militant group give up its powerful arsenal, arguing it has undermined the state.

In a surprising turn, the Lebanese Forces announced their decision to withdraw the nomination of MP Fouad Makhzoumi for prime minister-designate and back Salam instead.

Signaling his satisfaction with the decision, Makhzoumi said: “Having multiple opposition candidates will inevitably lead to everyone losing.”

Salam’s prospects were further strengthened by the withdrawal of MP Ibrahim Mneimneh, who cited the need for consensus to address Lebanon’s many challenges during what he called a “foundational and transitional” phase.

In another unexpected development, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil declared his support for Salam’s nomination as prime minister.




Gebran Bassil, leader of the Christian party Free Patriotic Movement, speaks after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, on January 13, 2025. (REUTERS)

Sunni MPs, the Kataeb party’s bloc, the Renewal Bloc, Change MPs and several independents initially supportive of Makhzoumi and Mneimneh, shifted their votes to Salam.

Salam’s background in law and diplomacy has bolstered his image as a figure of professionalism and integrity, resonating well with widespread calls for reform.

The prime minister-designate holds a doctorate in political science from France’s prestigious Sciences Po university as well as a doctorate in history from the Sorbonne. He also has a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School.

Salam hails from a prominent Sunni family from Beirut. His late paternal uncle, Saeb Salam, was one of the Lebanese leaders who fought for the country’s independence from France and later served as prime minister four times between 1952 and 1973.




This photo taken on September 28, 2011, shows Nawaf Salam (L), Lebanon's ambassador to the UN, with Riyad Mansour (R), Palestine ambassador to the UN, ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on the Palestinian request for full United Nations membership. (AFP file)

His cousin, Tammam Salam, also served as prime minister for two years in 2014-16.

Salam’s father, Abdullah Salim Salam, was the founder of Lebanon’s national airline, while his grandfather, Abi Salam, served as mayor and deputy of Beirut during the Ottoman era and was a leading advocate for reform.

Salam began his career in 1984 as a lawyer in several Lebanese courts, serving as a legal adviser to several local legal bodies and as a legal representative for international organizations until 2007.

In parallel, he pursued an academic path starting in 1979 as a lecturer at the Sorbonne, specializing in the modern history of the Middle East.




In this photo taken on September 23, 2011, then Lebanese Ambassador to UN Nawaf Salam is shown acknowledging that he received, as head of the Security Council, a formal request from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the state of Palestine to become a full member of the UN. (AFP file)

He later became a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and a lecturer at the American University of Beirut where he taught international law and relations, served as a visiting professor and associate professor in political science, and rose to become the head of the Department of Political Studies and Public Administration in 2007.

Salam is also an accomplished author, with contributions in law, international law, history, and political science.

In 2007, he was named Lebanon’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, where he served for 10 years. During his tenure, Salam presided over the 67th session of the UN Security Council and served as vice president of the General Assembly until 2013, where he became an advocate for Lebanon’s vital interests and broader Arab and international issues.




In this photo taken on July 19, 2024, Nawaf Salam 2nd R), judge and president of the International Court of Justice, delivers a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the ICJ in The Hague. (AFP)

In 2018, Salam became a judge at the ICJ and, in February last year, was elected president of the court, becoming the first Lebanese citizen to hold the post.

He took over the court’s presidency as it held its first hearing in 2024 on a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel has dismissed as baseless. He is set to be replaced by Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde, who will now oversee the case.

During his tenure at the ICJ, Salam issued a historic advisory opinion condemning the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and called for the halt of the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Earlier, Salam played a significant role in electoral reform during his three-year tenure as a member of the executive office of Lebanon’s Economic and Social Council and as a rapporteur in the National Commission for Electoral Law Reform until 2005.




Lebanon's new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam faces the challenge of rebuilding areas damaged by Israeli airstrikes during its war with Hezbollah. (AFP) 

Salam now faces one of the biggest challenges of his career as he begins consultations with MPs to form a new cabinet.

Lebanese political leaders and President Aoun, in his inaugural address, have emphasized that the new government must be built on national unity to address the urgent needs of the Lebanese people and navigate the country’s dire economic, social, and political crises.

Rebuilding areas damaged by Israeli airstrikes during its war with Hezbollah and implementing reforms to satisfy international donors amid the country’s worst economic crisis in its history are the top priorities ahead of Salam.




Another key challenge facing PM Nawaf Salam is the disarmament of the Hezbollah militia, whose war with Israel has brought about massive deaths and destruction to Lebanon. (AFP photo)

One of the most sensitive tasks is the disarmament of Hezbollah, consolidating all weapons under state institutions in accordance with national laws and as pledged by Aoun in his inaugural address.

Salam’s government will need to craft new political understandings to redefine Lebanon’s approach to Hezbollah. This includes guiding the militia’s transition from its historical reliance on Iranian and Syrian ties to a framework that prioritizes national interests.

Deploying the Lebanese army to reclaim full sovereignty over national borders and to secure the return of territories occupied by Israel — particularly those seized during the recent conflict — will be critical.




A convoy of Lebanese army military vehicles is seen entering the southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqura, on the border with Israel on January 7, 2025, after Israel's withdrawal from the area as part of the ceasefire agreement between the two countries. (AFP)

These efforts will involve leveraging regional and international support to implement UN Resolution 1701, which mandates an end to hostilities with Israel under international law.

Salam’s appointment has already garnered widespread backing, particularly from Saudi Arabia, alongside other Arab nations, Western allies, the Arab League, and the UN, which have expressed their commitment to Lebanon’s democratic process and the incoming government.

Shortly after the announcement of the new prime minister, Mikati called Salam to congratulate him and wish him success in his mission to form a new administration.




Lebanon's new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) speaks with the country's outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati during their meeting in Beirut on January 14, 2025.(AFP)

Mikati said his caretaker government, which navigated Lebanon during a tumultuous period, had laid the foundations for postwar recovery through issuing draft laws ready for parliamentary approval and preparing reform projects.

He stressed the need for unity and consensus to lead the next phase for Lebanon.

“Past experiences have shown that there is no alternative to consensus and that an approach of defiance has cost us many opportunities for recovery,” Mikati said. “The challenges we face are undoubtedly great, but the will of our people is stronger.”

Congratulating Salam, EU Ambassador to Lebanon Sandra De Waele called for a swift government formation to launch much-needed reforms and revive state institutions.

The regional and international backing for Salam’s designation is likely to lead to a flow of funds from Western and Arab nations, crucial in helping his new cabinet in the reconstruction process and Lebanon’s recovery.
 

 


Trump repeats pledge to take control of Gaza even as pressure mounts to renew ceasefire

Trump repeats pledge to take control of Gaza even as pressure mounts to renew ceasefire
Updated 13 sec ago
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Trump repeats pledge to take control of Gaza even as pressure mounts to renew ceasefire

Trump repeats pledge to take control of Gaza even as pressure mounts to renew ceasefire
  • “I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it,” Trump said
  • He said Arab nations would agree to take in Palestinians after speaking with him and insisted Palestinians would leave Gaza if they had a choice

“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it,” Trump said

He said Arab nations would agree to take in Palestinians after speaking with him and insisted Palestinians would leave Gaza if they had a choice

MUGHRAQA, Gaza Strip: New details and growing shock over emaciated hostages renewed pressure Sunday on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend a fragile Gaza ceasefire beyond the first phase, even as US President Donald Trump repeated his pledge that the US would take control of the Palestinian enclave.
Talks on the second phase, meant to see more hostages released and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, were due to start Feb. 3. But Israel and Hamas appear to have made little progress, even as Israeli forces withdrew Sunday from a Gaza corridor in the latest commitment to the truce.
Netanyahu sent a delegation to Qatar, a key mediator, but it included low-level officials, sparking speculation that it won’t lead to a breakthrough. Netanyahu, who returned after a US visit to meet with Trump, is expected to convene security Cabinet ministers on Tuesday.
Trump weighs in on Gaza again
Speaking on Sunday, Trump repeated his pledge to take control of the Gaza Strip.
“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it. Other people may do it through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back. There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site. The remainder will be demolished,” he told reporters onboard Air Force One as he traveled to the Super Bowl.
Trump said Arab nations would agree to take in Palestinians after speaking with him and insisted Palestinians would leave Gaza if they had a choice.
“They don’t want to return to Gaza. If we could give them a home in a safer area — the only reason they’re talking about returning to Gaza is they don’t have an alternative. When they have an alternative, they don’t want to return to Gaza.”
Trump also suggested he was losing patience with the deal after seeing the emaciated hostages released this week.
“I watched the hostages come back today and they looked like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated. It looked like many years ago, the Holocaust survivors, and I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” he said.
Israel has expressed openness to the idea of resettling Gaza’s population — ”a revolutionary, creative vision,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday — while Hamas, the Palestinians and much of the world have rejected it.
Egypt said it will host an emergency Arab summit on Feb. 27 to discuss the “new and dangerous developments.”
Trump’s proposal has moral, legal and practical obstacles. It may have been proposed as a negotiation tactic to pressure Hamas or an opening gambit in discussions aimed at securing a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia condemned Netanyahu’s recent comment that Palestinians could create their state there, saying it aimed to divert attention from crimes committed by “the Israeli occupation against our Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are being subjected to.”
Qatar called Netanyahu’s comment “provocative” and a blatant violation of international law.
Hostage families say time is running out
Families of remaining hostages said time is running out as some survivors described being barefoot and in chains.
“We cannot let the hostages remain there. There is no other way. I am appealing to the cabinet,” said Ella Ben Ami, daughter of a hostage released Saturday, adding she now understands the toll of captivity is much worse than imagined.
The father of a remaining hostage, Kobi Ohel, told Israel’s Channel 13 the newly released men said his son, Alon, and others “live off half a pita to a full pita a day. These are not human conditions.” Ohel’s mother, Idit, sobbed as she told Channel 12 her son has been chained for over a year.
Michael Levy said his brother, the newly released Or Levy, had been barefoot and hungry for 16 months. “The decision-makers knew exactly what his condition was and what everyone else’s condition was, and they did not do enough to bring him back with the urgency that was needed,” he said.
On Saturday, as Israelis reeled, former defense minister Yoav Gallant said on social media that the deterioration in hostages’ conditions was something “Israel has known about for some time.”
The ceasefire’s extension is not guaranteed
The ceasefire that began on Jan. 19 has held, raising hopes that the 16-month war that led to seismic shifts in the Middle East may be headed toward an end.
The latest step was Israel forces’ withdrawal from the 4-mile (6-kilometer) Netzarim corridor separating northern and southern Gaza, which was used as a military zone. No troops were seen in the vicinity Sunday. As the ceasefire began last month, Israel began allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to cross Netzarim and return to the north.
But the deal remains fragile. On Sunday, civil defense first responders in Gaza said Israeli fire killed three people east of Gaza City. Israel’s military noted “several hits” after firing warning shots and warned Palestinians against approaching its forces.
Cars piled with belongings headed north. Under the deal, Israel should allow cars to cross Netzarim uninspected. Troops remain along Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanoua said the troops’ withdrawal showed the militant group had “forced the enemy to submit to our demands” and thwarted “Netanyahu’s illusion of achieving total victory.”
Israel has said it won’t agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas’ military and political capabilities are eliminated. Hamas says it won’t hand over the last hostages until Israel removes all troops.
During the ceasefire’s 42-day first phase, Hamas is gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages captured during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and a flood of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel has said Hamas confirmed that eight of the 33 are dead.
Families of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv to urge Netanyahu to extend the ceasefire, but he is also under pressure from far-right political allies to resume the war. Trump’s proposal for the US to take control of the Gaza Strip may also complicate the situation.
“They are dying there, so we need to finish this deal in a hurry,” said Ayala Metzger, daughter-in-law of hostage Yoram Metzger, who died in captivity.
The war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ attack that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage, has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between fighters and noncombatants in their count. Much of the territory has been obliterated.
Violence in the occupied West Bank
Violence has surged in the occupied West Bank during the war and intensified in recent days with an Israeli military operation against Palestinian militants in the territory’s north.
On Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli gunfire killed two women, one of them, Sundus Shalabi, eight months pregnant. It said Rahaf Al-Ashqar, 21, was also killed. The shooting occurred in the Nur Shams urban refugee camp, a focal point of Israeli operations.
Israel’s military said its police had opened an investigation.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday announced the expansion of the operation that started in Jenin several weeks ago. He said it was meant to prevent Iran — allied with Hamas — from establishing a foothold in the West Bank.
 


Israel’s Netanyahu says Trump plan for Gaza ‘revolutionary’

Israel’s Netanyahu says Trump plan for Gaza ‘revolutionary’
Updated 10 February 2025
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Israel’s Netanyahu says Trump plan for Gaza ‘revolutionary’

Israel’s Netanyahu says Trump plan for Gaza ‘revolutionary’
  • Washington on Friday announced the approval of the sale of more than $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles and related equipment to Israel

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday praised a proposal from President Donald Trump for US control of Gaza and the displacement of its population as “revolutionary,” following his return to Israel from Washington.
Trump sparked global outrage by suggesting on Tuesday, during a week-long visit by the Israeli premier to the United States, that Washington should take control of the Gaza Strip and clear out its inhabitants.
On his return to Israel, addressing his cabinet, Netanyahu said the two allies agreed on war aims set out by Israel at the start of its 15-month war against Hamas including “ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”
“President Trump came with a completely different, much better vision for Israel — a revolutionary, creative approach that we are currently discussing” the Israeli prime minister said, referring to the president’s Gaza plan.
“He is very determined to implement it and I believe it opens up many, many possibilities for us,” Netanyahu added.
Despite criticisms from international allies and Arab states in particular, Trump on Thursday doubled down on the plan, saying the “Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting.”
“No soldiers by the US would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!” he wrote in social media post.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later on Thursday ordered the army to prepare for “voluntary” departures from Gaza.
“This visit, and the discussions we had with President Trump, carry with them tremendous achievements that could ensure Israel’s security for generations,” Netanyahu said.
Washington on Friday announced the approval of the sale of more than $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles and related equipment to Israel.
The State Department signed off on the sale of $6.75 billion in bombs, guidance kits and fuses, in addition to $660 million in Hellfire missiles, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
Israel launched a hugely destructive offensive against Hamas in Gaza in October 2023 in response to the Palestinian militant groups October 7 attack.
The war has devastated much of the Gaza Strip — a narrow coastal territory on the eastern Mediterranean — but a ceasefire has been in effect since last month that has brought a halt to the deadly conflict and provides for the release of hostages seized by Hamas.


UN chief welcomes formation of new Lebanon government

UN chief welcomes formation of new Lebanon government
Updated 10 February 2025
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UN chief welcomes formation of new Lebanon government

UN chief welcomes formation of new Lebanon government
  • New Prime Minister Nawaf Salam now faces the daunting task of overseeing the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and rebuilding the country

UNITED NATIONS, United States: UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the formation of a new government in Lebanon, affirming the international body’s commitment to that country’s “territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence,” a spokesman said Sunday.
“The United Nations looks forward to working in close partnership with the new government on its priorities, including the consolidation of the cessation of hostilities,” said a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Dujarric was referring to a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel signed on November 27, with Beirut’s military due to deploy in the country’s south alongside UN peacekeepers as Israel withdraws from those areas over 60 days.
Fighting between Israeli forces and long-dominant Hezbollah since October 2023 has weakened the group, helping bring a new Lebanese government to power after almost two years of caretaker authorities being in charge.
New Prime Minister Nawaf Salam now faces the daunting task of overseeing the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and rebuilding the country.
Salam said Saturday that he hoped to head a “government of reform and salvation,” pledging to rebuild trust with the international community after years of economic collapse blamed on corruption and mismanagement.
Long the dominant force in Lebanese politics, Hezbollah suffered staggering losses in a war with Israel that saw its leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in a massive air strike in September.
Hezbollah suffered another seismic blow with the ouster on December 8 of Bashar Assad in Syria, which it had long used as its weapons lifeline from Iran.
After more than two years of political stalemate, the weakening of Hezbollah allowed former army chief Joseph Aoun, widely believed to be Washington’s preferred candidate, to be elected president and Salam approved as his premier.
 

 


Brother says freed Israeli hostage suffered ‘hardest blow’ learning wife killed

Brother says freed Israeli hostage suffered ‘hardest blow’ learning wife killed
Updated 10 February 2025
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Brother says freed Israeli hostage suffered ‘hardest blow’ learning wife killed

Brother says freed Israeli hostage suffered ‘hardest blow’ learning wife killed
  • “Einav, his beloved wife, was murdered on that cursed day

JERUSALEM: Freed Israeli hostage Or Levy suffered the “hardest blow” upon his release from Gaza when he learned that his wife was killed by Hamas militants in the 2023 attack in which he was abducted, his brother said Sunday.
On Saturday, Hamas militants released Levy along with two other hostages, Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben Ami, as part of an ongoing ceasefire in Gaza.
“The hardest blow awaited Or when he was freed — his greatest fear was confirmed,” Michael Levy told journalists at a hospital where his brother is being treated.
“Einav, his beloved wife, was murdered on that cursed day. For 491 days, he held on to the hope that he would return to her. For 491 days, he didn’t know she was no longer alive,” Michael Levy added.
Or and Einav Levy had attended the Nova music festival when Hamas militants stormed it during their October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
They had left their son Almog, two years old at the time, with his grandparents.
The usually inseparable couple, who met at school, tried to hide from the attackers along Route 232, the only path away from the festival.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli campaign group, Einav was killed in the attack while Or was abducted along with other young men.
Until now, it had been unclear whether Or knew of his wife’s fate.
“He only found out yesterday,” said Michael Levy.
“Or is alive. He is here. But this happiness is mixed with an immense sadness, a pain that cannot be described.”
“After everything he went through, he finally met Mogi, his little son. A three-year-old boy who hadn’t seen his father for 16 months!” the brother added.
 

 


Palestinians say Israeli forces kill 3 in West Bank raid

Israeli soldiers conduct a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli soldiers conduct a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.
Updated 10 February 2025
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Palestinians say Israeli forces kill 3 in West Bank raid

Israeli soldiers conduct a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.
  • A pregnant woman was dead when she arrived at a local hospital
  • At least 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank in 2025

TULKAREM: The Palestinian health ministry reported that Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank shot dead three people on Sunday, including a woman who was eight months pregnant.
Israeli forces launched an operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp, on the outskirts of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, at dawn on Sunday, as part of an ongoing offensive in nearby camps, the military said.
The Palestinian health ministry said 23-year-old Sundus Jamal Muhammad Shalabi was killed in a pre-dawn incident, with her husband Yazan Abu Shola critically injured.
The mother-to-be was dead when she arrived at a local hospital, the ministry said.
“Medical teams were unable to save the baby’s life due to the (Israeli) occupation preventing the transfer of the injured to the hospital,” it added.
When asked by AFP about the shooting of the pregnant woman in Nur Shams, the Israeli military said “following the incident an investigation was opened by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division."
Murad Alyan, a member of the popular committee in the Nur Shams camp, told AFP that the couple was “trying to leave the camp before the occupation forces advanced into it. They were shot while they were inside their car.”
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it described as “a crime of execution committed by the occupation forces,” accusing Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting defenseless civilians.”
The health ministry later said a second woman, 21-year-old Rahaf Fouad Abdullah Al-Ashqar was killed in a separate incident in Nur Shams.
A source in the camp’s popular committee said she was killed and her father wounded when the “Israeli forces used explosives to open the door of their family house.”
And late on Sunday the health ministry announced that a third Palestinian, Iyas Adli Fakhri Al-Akhras, 20, had been killed “after being shot by Israeli forces” in the camp.
AFP footage from Nur Shams showed army bulldozers clearing a path in front of buildings in the densely packed camp, which is home to about 13,000 people.
The Israeli military earlier said its forces were “expanding the operation in northern Samaria,” using the biblical term for the north of the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
“The combat team of the Ephraim Brigade began operations in Nur Shams,” the military said in a statement, adding that soldiers had “targeted several terrorists and arrested additional individuals in the area.”
The Palestinian health ministry has said at least 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank this year.
Violence there has escalated since the October 2023 outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, at least 887 Palestinians including militants have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the Gaza war began.
At least 32 Israelis, including some soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or confrontations during Israeli operations in the West Bank over the same period, according to official Israeli figures.