Israel arrests 55 activists in West Bank

The Israeli army has confirmed the arrest of 55 Palestinians in West Bank, as part of a campaign to "restore calm." A military statement said the overnight mission was in response to "recent violent and terrorist activity." Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip before yesterday's ceasefire agreement led to protests and rallies in the West Bank. During the clashes, two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces. Hamdi Mohammad Jawwad al-Falah, 22, was shot four times by Israeli soldiers at a demonstration in Hebron's Bir al-Mahjar neighbourhood on Tuesday. Rushdi Tamimi, a 31-year-old police officer from close to Ramallah, died on Monday, two days after he was shot in the stomach by Israeli forces at a protest in Nabi Saleh. The recent spate of arrests included some "senior operatives," the Israeli army has confirmed. Palestinian sources say mid-level figures from various Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad, Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine are being held. Israeli officials have described a bus bomb in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday, which wounded 15 people, as a terrorist attack, but no Palestinian group has yet claimed the attack.