(FreePressBeacon.com) – Marking a new chapter in the ongoing conflict, Israel just launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank.
During this operation, Israeli forces killed at least nine Palestinians and closed off Jenin, a city known for its tensions.
Israel has been conducting almost daily raids throughout the West Bank following Hamas’ terror attack from Gaza on October 7, which set off the current conflict in the region.
Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani explained that “large forces” had entered Jenin, known for hiding terrorists.
The forces also moved into Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp, which dates back to the 1948 conflict in the Middle East. All these locations are in the northern part of the West Bank.
Colonel Shoshani stated that the nine people who died were all terrorists. Three of them were killed in an airstrike in Tulkarem and another four in Al-Faraa.
Additionally, five suspected terrorists were detained. He described these raids as the initial phase of a broader operation to protect Israeli civilians from attacks.
In turn, Palestinian militant groups reported they were fighting back against the Israeli military.
Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rub mentioned on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had encircled the city.
They blocked the ways in and out, cut off access to hospitals and destroyed infrastructure within the camp.
The Palestinian Health Ministry noted that Israeli troops had blocked roads leading to a hospital with earth barriers and had encircled other medical facilities in Jenin.
Shoshani remarked that the military sought to prevent terrorists from using hospitals as hiding spots.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz suggested treating the West Bank as Gaza has been handled.
He called for aggressive measures including the temporary relocation of Palestinian residents and other necessary actions.
“This is a war in every respect, and we must win it,” he asserted on the social media platform X.
However, Shoshani clarified that there was no intention to evacuate civilians.
Hamas urged Palestinians in the West Bank to revolt, stating the raids were part of a broader strategy to widen the Gaza conflict. They blamed the intensification on U.S. support for Israel.
The militant group also called on forces of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which collaborates with Israel, to “join the sacred battle of our people.”
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