IRIA News

Israeli forces launched air attacks and ground raids involving hundreds of armed military personnel at a refugee camp in Jenin, West Bank. At least 12 Palestinians have been killed and thousands are fleeing as a result of the military operation that started on July 3, 2023.

According to reports, the Israeli forces have started withdrawing from the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank after killing at least 12 Palestinians between the ages of 16 and 23.

Israeli security forces conducted their most intense operation in the West Bank in nearly two decades. The operation involved drone attacks, air strikes, and hundreds of armed military personnel in an area that Israel describes as a hotbed of terrorists. Israeli authorities claimed that the refugee camp in Jenin has over 1,000 militiamen who are working under the name of Jenin Brigade.

The military operation is targeted at 10 locations in the Jenin refugee camp. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that 120 suspects have been detained so far, with 300 armed militants believed to be still in hiding in Jenin.

Hagari earlier said that more than 1,000 IDF soldiers have been deployed in the area and the operation could end in “one or two days”. He also confirmed that the drone strikes are being conducted in the area with precision and minimum payload to reduce collateral damage.

Jenin is home to some 20,000 Palestinian refugees. Deputy governor of Jenin Kamal Abu al-Roub said that “There are about 3,000 people who have left the camp so far.” He added that arrangements have been made in schools and shelter buildings to host the fleeing refugees.

The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue services also reported the same number of displaced refugees and said that the continued operation would result in a further exodus from the area. Palestine’s Health Ministry said that at least 100 people have been severely injured after the armed operation while more than 20 are in serious condition.

Jenin has been targeted with multiple Israeli raids in the last few months, however, it is the first time in almost two decades that Israel has conducted an armed attack of such scale on Palestine’s West Bank area. The last time was in 2002 when IDF used air strikes and combat helicopters in the West Bank.

Three Hospitals were attacked during the military assault on Jenin, severely damaging their operational capacity. According to Israel, one of the incidents occurred after gunshots were fired from within the hospital, leading to its loss of protection under international… pic.twitter.com/IaHYklVK2H

— Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) (@PHRIsrael) July 4, 2023

Condemnations

Palestinian administration and several Arab countries condemned Israel’s operation in the West Bank region. Jordan, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates along with the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the incursions. The White House, however, defended Israel’s actions by saying that IDF has the right to monitor the security situation of the West Bank. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also gave a mixed reaction to Israel’s military attack by saying that “While we support Israel’s right to self-defense, the protection of civilians must be prioritized.” 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, defended the brutal military attack saying that “in recent months, Jenin has turned into a safe haven for terrorism. We are putting an end to this.”

This year has been the deadliest in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, largely due to the far-right coalition government that took over at the start of this year.

Israel’s current Minister of the National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir is a loyal follower of an explicitly racist and ultra-nationalist leader late Meir Kahane. Kahane’s organization was banned in Israel and designated as a terrorist group by the United States. Ben-Gvir has also been convicted of incitement to racism and supporting terrorist organizations on several occasions.

Ben-Gvir’s Religious Zionism Party holds a substantial majority in the parliament. The party is known for its anti-Arab and anti-Islamic rhetoric and advocates for the deportation of all Arabs from Israel for their ‘disloyalty’ towards the Jewish state.