At least three Palestinian women have been killed and eight more injured after missile debris hit a beauty salon in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says.
The PRCS reported that shrapnel struck the salon in Beit Awwa, near Hebron, creating a scene of devastation. Official Palestinian news agency Wafa indicated that fragments from the missile reportedly landed on a metal caravan used as a salon as well as in several other areas across the West Bank.
Additionally, a Thai worker was reported killed by shrapnel in a nearby farming community in Israel.
This shocking event unfolded on Wednesday night as Israel's military was reported to be working to intercept an Iranian missile attack.
Wafa identified the deceased women as 17-year-old Mais Ghazi Masalmeh, 50-year-old Sahira Rizq Masalmeh, and 36-year-old Amal Sobhi Abdel Karim Matawa' Masalmeh.
The PRCS's rapid response teams, comprising at least five ambulances, were dispatched, and upon arrival, they encountered numerous casualties and injuries. The women's bodies were subsequently transported to a local hospital along with others sustaining serious wounds.
The initial death toll had been reported as four women but was later revised by the PRCS to three. The organization reported facing considerable challenges accessing the site due to the closure of iron gates, which seriously impacted the time available to save the injured victims.
Further details shared indicate that the Thai worker who died in Israel was found in Moshav Adanim, about 12 miles northeast of Tel Aviv, with metal shrapnel strewn across the scene. His identity is yet to be disclosed.
The BBC has reached out to the Israeli military for further commentary on the incident.
