Eight Palestinians killed as Israel launches operation in Jenin

The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that nine Palestinians were killed and 35 injured during a large-scale operation by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Palestinian media reported that a large number of Israeli forces entered the city and its refugee camp, supported by drones, helicopters, and armored bulldozers, during which a series of airstrikes occurred.

The Israeli Prime Minister stated that the operation aimed to "defeat" "terrorism" in Jenin, which has long been regarded as a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups. The operation occurred three days after a ceasefire agreement in Gaza took effect, highlighting the threat of escalating violence in the West Bank. Additionally, Israeli settlers were also reported to have carried out acts of vandalism in the West Bank at night.

Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Roub told AFP that "what is happening is an invasion of the refugee camp," adding, "It came quickly, Apache helicopters are in the air, and Israeli military vehicles are everywhere." The official Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing local sources, said that Israeli forces were "completely besieging" the Jenin refugee camp, and armored bulldozers had dug up several streets. The director of the Jenin government hospital, Wissam Bakr, stated that three doctors and two nurses were injured in Israeli gunfire.

It was reported that Palestinian security personnel withdrew from some of their positions around the Jenin refugee camp before Israeli forces entered on Tuesday morning. Brigadier General Anwar Rajab, a spokesperson for the Palestinian security forces, told AFP that Israeli forces "opened fire on civilians and security forces," causing multiple injuries. On Tuesday evening, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that eight men and a 16-year-old boy, Mutaz Abu Tbeik, were killed by Israeli forces in Jenin. Another man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the village of Ti’innik, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying that the operation in Jenin—dubbed "Iron Wall"—was an "additional step to achieve our stated goal of strengthening security in the West Bank." He stated, "We are methodically and firmly striking the Iranian axis wherever it extends: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and (the West Bank)—and we remain in action." Israel accuses Iran of smuggling weapons and funds to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other armed groups in the West Bank to incite unrest. Israeli media, citing a military source, said that the aim of the operation was to maintain Israel's "freedom of action" in the West Bank, dismantle the infrastructure of armed groups, and eliminate imminent threats. The source also stated that the operation would "continue as necessary."

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa condemned the attack, calling it the latest in "a series of aggressive Israeli measures" against Palestinians in the West Bank. Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have called on Palestinians in the West Bank to escalate attacks against Israel in response to the operation in Jenin. Israel has conducted several military operations in Jenin in the past. Recently, the Palestinian Authority security forces conducted weeks of controversial operations against armed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in an attempt to regain control of the area. Violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Israeli forces have intensified raids and stated they are working to prevent deadly attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel against Israelis, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.

In a separate incident in the West Bank, dozens of masked Israeli extremists attacked two villages east of Qalqilya—Kinsafut and al-Funduq—setting fire to Palestinian homes and cars, and smashing property. The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that at least 21 Palestinians were injured. It was reported that an Israeli police officer fired shots while responding to the violence, resulting in two Israelis also being hit. Muhammad's family, whose home in al-Funduq is just meters away from a burned-out horticultural center, said, "If you were there last night, all you would hear is the screaming of women and children." He added, "In the end, we have nothing to protect ourselves. But they have everything to attack us with." The Israeli military stated that they are investigating the incidents, and said that Israeli civilians "incited riots, set fire to property, and caused damage." They also stated that they threw stones at and attacked Israeli security forces.

The incidents occurred just as the new US President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of carrying out attacks in the West Bank. The reversal of the Biden administration's sanctions against extremist Israelis may foreshadow the policy direction of the new White House, which is expected to be more tolerant of the expansion of Jewish settlements. The far-right, pro-settler Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed the US move. In a post on X, he praised Trump's "unwavering and uncompromising support" for the State of Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials condemned the policy change. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that "lifting sanctions on extremist settlers encourages them to commit more crimes against our people." The mayor of al-Funduq, Luay Tayam, told the BBC: "It's like giving a green light to the settlers, saying: 'Go ahead and do whatever you want. You won't be persecuted.'" He added: "So they are happy with this news. I think that's a big push for them to act last night. They feel encouraged."

Tensions have also been heightened this week by the mass release of Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank, as part of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The attacks in al-Funduq occurred in an area where three Israelis were killed in a shooting earlier in the month. It is the latest in a series of incidents that have seen a marked acceleration in settler attacks since the start of the war in Gaza. According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, in 2024, settlers have also established 59 new outposts without authorization from the Israeli government. This is more than double the number of the previous year, which was also a record year for the establishment of settlement outposts. Israel has established about 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jews since occupying the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. These settlements are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this—as did the previous Trump administration.