RAMALLAH, Palestine

 Two Palestinian women were killed by Israeli army fire in the northern West Bank on Sunday, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement said an 8-month pregnant woman was killed and her husband seriously injured during an Israeli military raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp east of Tulkarem city.

The ministry said the woman’s unborn child also lost his life in the attack.

According to witnesses, Israeli forces opened fire on the family as they were displaced from the camp by the Israeli assault.

The ministry said a 21-year-old woman was also shot dead by Israeli forces in the same camp on Sunday.

The Israeli army raided the camp early Sunday and forced several families out of their homes and converted them into military outposts.

The military claimed that the offensive targeted what it called “disruptive activities" in the camp.

The Israeli escalation follows a broader Israeli military offensive that began on Jan. 21 in Jenin and its refugee camp, as well as surrounding towns, killing at least 25 people, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The army expanded its assault into Tulkarem on Jan. 27, killing five more people. On Feb. 2, another assault was launched in the town of Tammun and the Far'a refugee camp in the Tubas city.

The escalation follows a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza on Jan. 19, after more than 15 months of Israel bombardment, which has killed nearly 48,200 Palestinians and devastated the enclave.

Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 906 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.