Israeli Forces Carry Out Largest Operation in West Bank City of Jenin in Almost Two Decades, Leaving 9 Palestinians Dead and 50 Injured
Israel conducted drone strikes and deployed hundreds of troops in Jenin, a city in the occupied West Bank, on Monday in what Israeli officials have called the largest operation in the area in nearly 20 years. The raid resulted in at least nine Palestinian deaths and 50 injuries, according to Palestinian health officials. Gun battles were reported in the streets of the sprawling refugee camp located in Jenin.
The Israeli Army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, stated that the objective of the operation was to confiscate or destroy weapons belonging to Palestinian militants. Hecht further explained that the raid began at 1:00 a.m. with an airstrike on a building in the Jenin refugee camp, which was reportedly being used as a planning base for attacks by the militants.
The raid continued with more strikes to clear the way for approximately 2,000 Israeli ground forces. Hecht noted that while Israel had conducted strikes in Jenin in recent weeks, this operation marked the largest escalation since 2006.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and drones buzzing in the camp, with black smoke rising into the air. Reports stated that Israeli forces bulldozed roads and a memorial for the camp’s deceased, and a child was injured by shrapnel. Israel has attributed several attacks on Israelis this year to Palestinian militants operating in the Jenin refugee camp, resulting in multiple previous raids in the area.
In a separate incident during Monday’s operation, Israeli police arrested a 16-year-old Palestinian boy from Jenin who allegedly stabbed an Israeli man in the city of Bnei Brak. The victim, in his 20s, suffered light to moderate injuries and was hospitalized, according to the police.
The Jenin refugee camp was established to accommodate Palestinians displaced during the 1948-1949 Arab-Israeli war and currently houses around 14,000 people, as reported by the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the raids on civilians, prompting the U.N. to mobilize humanitarian aid.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that the raids were targeting specific proxies of Iran, such as Islamic Jihad and Hamas, and clarified that Israel did not intend to maintain control over the West Bank.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the raid, describing it as an attempt to destroy the camp and displace its residents. He vowed that the Palestinian people would resist the aggression and called for an end to the “criminal occupation” in the region.
In a separate incident near the city of Ramallah, a Palestinian individual was killed during a protest against the Jenin raid.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, the international community will closely monitor developments and calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict grow louder.