At least 20 people have been killed in Israel’s largest military operation in the West Bank in over 20 years. The military raids in Jenin have left the Palestinian residents in the besieged refugee camp without access to food, water, and medical aid. Israeli forces have been engaged in gun battles with Palestinian fighters, resulting in extensive damage in the area.
In addition to the raids in Jenin, there have been two separate incidents of attacks in illegal settlements in the south of the West Bank. Israeli soldiers shot dead two Palestinians suspected of attempting to attack Israelis, resulting in injuries to three people.
The situation in Hebron, the largest district in the West Bank, remains tense as Israeli forces set up multiple checkpoints. The escalating violence in the West Bank comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza, with about 600 Palestinians killed so far according to the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs office.
The Israeli army has stated that its goal is to target armed groups in the West Bank and prevent future attacks. However, Palestinian residents believe that the destruction left behind by the military incursion is aimed at making the territory uninhabitable and pushing them out of their homes.
The continuing raids have led to a rise in detentions, with about 70 people arrested since the start of the assault according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. The situation in the West Bank remains volatile as tensions continue to escalate between Israeli forces and Palestinian residents.
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