IRIA News

4 minute read

Israel’s military operations in the Palestinian territories have intensified under the “Iron Wall” campaign, launched just days after a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. The campaign has drawn widespread attention due to its scale, civilian impact, and implications for the future of the region.

The Jenin refugee camp, a longstanding hub of Palestinian resistance, has been the focus of Israel’s military actions. The raid in Jenin has entered its third day, with hundreds of Palestinians evacuating their homes under Israeli army orders.

Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub confirmed, “The Israeli army, using loudspeakers on drones and military vehicles, ordered them to evacuate the camp.” The intense military operation in the camp has resulted in extensive damage to infrastructure, deepening the crisis for displaced residents.

Rising death toll

The violence has claimed 12 lives in the Jenin governorate within the first two days of the raids, with two more Palestinian men killed in Burqin. Muhammad Abu Al Asaad and Qutaiba Al Shalabi, killed in an overnight clash, were accused by Israeli authorities of being affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and carrying out a shooting attack earlier this month. However, Hamas’s armed wing, Al Qassam Brigades, claimed the men as their members.

Palestinian news agency reported that Israeli forces surrounded a house in Burqin, firing shots and missiles before demolishing it with a bulldozer. Burqin’s mayor, Hassan Sobh, accused Israeli soldiers of using women as human shields during the operation. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have refused to release the bodies of the deceased, further exacerbating tensions.

Among the victims of the recent violence is also 16-year-old Motaz Imad Mousa Abu Tabeekh, who was shot dead by Israeli forces. According to Defense for Children International Palestine (DCIP), he is one of seven Palestinian minors killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank this year, with four killed in drone attacks and three by gunfire.

Jenin refugee camp

In addition to the deaths, Israeli forces arrested 22 Palestinians in raids across the West Bank, targeting areas such as Hebron, Nablus, and Jerusalem. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported widespread destruction of infrastructure and vandalism of citizens’ homes during these operations.

Established in 1953 by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to house displaced Palestinians, the Jenin refugee camp has long been a symbol of resistance. Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani justified the recent raid, stating it aimed to counter “hundreds of terrorist attacks, both in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] and the rest of Israel.” However, the Palestinian Authority (PA) accused Israel of using these raids as a pretext to annex parts of the West Bank gradually.

Collective punishment

The widespread nature of the Iron Wall campaign has alarmed Palestinians across the West Bank. The surge in Israeli military checkpoints and settler attacks has disrupted daily life and heightened fears of displacement like that experienced in Gaza.

Key locations affected by recent Israeli raids include:

• Shu’fat camp in Jerusalem
• Sa’ir, north of Hebron
• Barham, north of Ramallah
• Rammun, east of Ramallah
• Beita, south of Nablus
• Qalqilya and its surrounding areas

The collective nature of these actions has led many Palestinians to describe the campaign as a form of collective punishment, further complicating prospects for peace in the region.

International reactions

The situation has drawn mixed reactions from international figures. Elise Stefanik, nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, defended Israel’s actions by citing its “biblical right” to the West Bank.

In contrast, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq emphasized the need for negotiations, stating, “The future of that of the West Bank, Gaza, and the occupied Palestinian territories as a whole needs to be dealt with through negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities.”

The Iron Wall campaign, marked by its unprecedented scope and intensity, underscores the fragile state of Israeli-Palestinian relations. As the death toll rises and thousands face displacement, the campaign raises critical questions about the future of the region and the path to lasting peace.