Israeli forces have continued their deadly incursions into Jenin and the occupied West Bank, killing at least 25 Palestinians and displacing nearly 20,000 since the beginning of the year, the camp’s media committee reported on Thursday. The humanitarian situation has worsened as Israel intensifies its military actions despite a ceasefire being in place in Gaza since last month.
The Jenin refugee camp, a long-standing focal point of Palestinian resistance, has been the target of frequent Israeli military incursions. The camp was originally established in 1953 by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to shelter Palestinians displaced by Israel’s occupation. It is now a stronghold for resistance groups, particularly the Jenin Brigades, which operate under various Palestinian factions.
The military siege on Jenin has not only resulted in killings and mass displacement but also severe deprivation of basic necessities. According to the local media committee, Israeli forces have cut off water supplies to four main hospitals in the region, leaving residents with limited access to medical care. Furthermore, about 35 percent of Jenin’s population has been denied access to water, compounding the already dire humanitarian crisis.
Intensified Military Raids and Mass Arrests
Israeli forces have escalated their operations across the occupied West Bank, carrying out mass arrests and targeted killings in various cities.
- On Thursday, Israeli forces launched an airstrike on a parked vehicle in Jenin, although no casualties were immediately reported.
- Israeli forces have arrested more than 90 Palestinians this week, adding to a total of 380 detentions since January 19, when Israel intensified its crackdown in the West Bank following the Gaza ceasefire.
- At least 150 Palestinians have been arrested in Jenin alone over the past 24 days, while 125 were detained during an 18-day military siege of Tulkarem.
- The town of Tubas has also seen a wave of arrests, with 100 detentions recorded over the past 17 days.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) has warned that the widespread arrests indicate Israel’s strategy of crushing Palestinian resistance and making life unlivable for residents in these areas.
Jenin and Tulkarem Face Destruction, Mass Displacement
Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh highlighted that Israeli forces are aiming to completely reshape the geography of Jenin and Tulkarem.
- In Tulkarem, about 85 percent of the refugee camp’s population has been forcibly displaced due to ongoing military operations.
- Jenin refugee camp, already a symbol of Palestinian resistance, is almost unrecognizable due to widespread destruction.
- Israeli military officials have openly stated their intention to demolish parts of these camps permanently, making return impossible for many Palestinians.
Israeli Assault Expands Across West Bank
The violent Israeli offensive is not limited to Jenin and Tulkarem but has extended across the occupied West Bank.
- In Ramallah, Israeli forces shot and killed a young Palestinian man, 28-year-old Issa Riyad Jabali, near the town of Huwara, alleging that he attempted to carry out an operation.
- Israeli settlers, emboldened by military backing, stormed the village of al-Awsaj, north of Jericho, kidnapping a Palestinian man and taking him to an unknown location.
- In al-Jiftlik, north of Jericho, Israeli soldiers arrested a Palestinian shepherd while he was tending to his sheep.
- At the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing, Israeli forces detained a high school student from Bethlehem as he was returning from Jordan.
Mounting Palestinian Casualties Since October 7
Since the escalation of violence began on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 915 Palestinians, including 182 children and minors, and wounded more than 7,616 people across the occupied West Bank. Additionally, at least 15,000 Palestinians have been detained, marking one of the largest mass incarceration campaigns in recent history.
Escalating Crisis and Future Outlook
Despite the Gaza ceasefire, Israel’s military and settler violence in the West Bank continues unabated, raising concerns of a broader crackdown on Palestinian resistance. The large-scale destruction of Palestinian refugee camps, ongoing mass arrests, and restrictions on essential resources such as water indicate that Israel’s military operations are aimed at permanently altering the West Bank’s demographic and geographical landscape.
As tensions rise, international human rights groups and Palestinian activists are calling for urgent intervention to halt the ongoing military aggression and hold Israel accountable for its systematic targeting of Palestinian communities. However, with continued support from its Western allies, including the United States, Israel appears determined to maintain its occupation and expand its control over Palestinian territories.
