The Israeli armed forces initiate a substantial campaign within the West Bank territory.
Overnight, Israel's military launched a significant operation in the West Bank's occupied territories. The operation was labeled as an "anti-terrorism campaign" in Jewish-controlled cities like Jenin and Tulkarem, known for harboring militant Palestinians. According to news outlets, the Israeli military dispatched countless foot soldiers, employed drones, and snipers, demolished infrastructure with bulldozers, and restricted access to Jenin using roadblocks.
In Jenin, two individuals lost their lives from gunfire, and several others were wounded, as per the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah. Later, the Palestinian news agency Wafa documented two additional fatalities from a drone attack carried out by the Israeli military near the Tubas refugee camp, and followed by another three deaths from a drone strike on a vehicle south of Jenin. The identities of the deceased remained unclear, as the Israeli military didn't provide any extraneous information regarding the incidents.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that ten Palestinians had been killed in total. Two individuals were reportedly killed amidst the city of Jenin, with the aid organization's spokesperson confirming the information. In addition, four individuals met their demise in a nearby village, and another four perished in a refugee camp near Tubas.
This operation is alleged to be one of Israel's largest in the West Bank in over two decades. Al Jazeera described it as the most extensive operation carried out by the Israeli military in Northern West Bank in more than two decades. According to the Arabic media channel, Palestinians resorted to armed weapons and explosives against the soldiers in the Nur Shams refugee neighborhood in Tulkarem and further towns in the West Bank.
Surrounding medical facilities
Wafa reported that a multitude of Israeli military vehicles were stationed in Jenin. According to Al Jazeera, the city was effectively encircled. According to the Israeli news site ynet, the forces planned to apprehend wanted individuals in refugee neighborhoods in Jenin and Tulkarem. Both Israeli and Palestinian media sources confirmed that the Israeli military had encircled hospitals in both cities and hindered the movement of ambulances. The ynet reported that the Israeli military aimed to safeguard these facilities from being utilized as cover by militants.
According to The Times of Israel, the military operation was projected to continue for an extended period. Sources inside the military disclosed that the mission was prepared over several days, and several wanted Palestinians were apprehended throughout the operation.
However, Amnesty International has urged European nations to implement stringent sanctions. In a letter addressed to the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states and the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell, the organization petitioned for a total arms embargo and prohibition on investments in specific Israeli companies and banks. In addition, it urged a trade ban on goods produced in Israeli settlements in occupied territories within the EU. The occupation of Palestinian territories is regarded as illegal and should be put to an end at the earliest convenience -- as per an opinion piece published by the International Court of Justice in July.
The West Bank situation has significantly deteriorated since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, which took over 1,200 lives and triggered the Gaza conflict. Since then, over 620 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli military operations, armed skirmishes, and terrorist attacks -- figures scarcely verifiable from the Ramallah Health Ministry. The number of incidents involving Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has also escalated during this period. Notably, incidences of Israeli army raids in Jenin and Tulkarem have become increasingly common. As recently as last Monday, five individuals were reportedly killed in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem, according to the Health Ministry, in an Israeli airstrike targeting militant Palestinians, as per a statement issued by the Israeli army.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah expressed concern over the high number of casualties among the Palestinians in Jenin and Tulkarem. The Palestinians, facing the Israeli military's operation, have been reported to use armed weapons and explosives in self-defense, as stated by Al Jazeera.
