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July 3 (UPI) — Israeli forces have conducted a major military operation in the occupied West Bank, targeting a claimed terrorist headquarters within a Palestinian city’s refugee camp.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, security forces began conducting an extensive counterterrorism mission in the area of Jenin, a city in the northern West Bank. Recently, Israel has carried out several raids in this area, which is home to a refugee camp with a population of over 10,000. The camp has been portrayed as a center of Palestinian resistance.
The IDF and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) targeted the joint operations center of the Jenin Brigades, a militant group based in the camp. The IDF stated that this center served as an advanced observation and reconnaissance center for armed terrorists, as well as a storage site for weapons and explosives. It also functioned as a coordination and communications hub.
Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, emphasized that the operation’s purpose was to dismantle terrorist infrastructures, apprehend wanted individuals, and disrupt headquarters, military bases, and explosive laboratories. The goal was to undermine Jenin’s status as a safe haven for terrorists.
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant confirmed the operation, noting that the focus was on targeting terrorism hubs in Jenin. Gallant expressed a proactive and offensive approach towards eliminating potential threats to Israeli citizens.
According to CNN, at least eight people have died and 80 have been injured as a result of the operation. Several teenagers were among those killed, according to Palestine’s Ministry of Health. In a separate incident near Ramallah, an IDF soldier also killed a Palestinian.
Palestinians have begun evacuating the city of Jenin, although the IDF denies issuing an evacuation order. The IDF claims that residents are voluntarily leaving to distance themselves from the ongoing conflict. Jenin has a population of approximately 40,000 people.
The attack has been condemned by the Palestinian presidency as a war crime. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the presidency’s spokesman, described the Israeli occupation government’s actions in Jenin and its camp as a new war crime against defenseless Palestinians, stating that these crimes will not bring security and stability to the Israeli government.
The international community has also joined in condemning the attack. Arab nations such as Egypt, Jordan, and Iran, as well as organizations like Turkey, have criticized Israel’s excessive use of force against civilians. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, comparing it to America’s fight for independence while emphasizing the importance of self-defense.
The attack on Jenin occurred two weeks after the IDF killed five Palestinians, including a child, during a raid on the refugee camp. The United Nations confirms that the Jenin Camp was established in 1953.
