Civilian hostage Arbel Yehoud among six to be released this week • Israel will allow returns of Gazans to north

In the days since a fragile ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank and suspected Jewish settlers have rampaged through two Palestinian towns.

Israel killed two Palestinians in the northern West Bank overnight and into Wednesday, the occupied territory's Heath Ministry said, as the Israeli military focuses on a major crackdown there during the ceasefire in Gaza.

The sudden expansion of Israeli security operations in the West Bank has killed at least 10 people and follows the start of the delicate ceasefire process in Gaza, by which Israeli hostages are released in stages and will also see the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel kills two Palestinians in the West Bank as the military focuses on a major crackdown during Gaza ceasefire.

The Israeli military killed at least seven Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as the prime minister announced the start of a “large-scale military operation” in the restive city of Jenin.

The Israeli military and Hamas said Monday that an air strike killed two fighters from the Palestinian Islamist movement in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.