Israeli army forcibly expels Palestinians from Jenin and 'executes' residents

On the third day of Israel's large-scale assault on Jenin, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin are facing forced displacement, mass arrests, and reports of "field executions" by Israeli forces. The incursion has led to widespread fear and hardship, with significant damage to local infrastructure and restrictions on medical services.

According to the Palestinian official news agency, WAFA, Israeli forces have imposed a complete siege on the Jenin refugee camp, deploying special forces, drones, and biometric and facial recognition systems to monitor and control the area. Palestinians are being forcibly evicted from their homes, with Israeli soldiers ordering them to leave via loudspeakers and by dropping leaflets.

Salah, a resident of the Jenin refugee camp, recounted the terrifying scenes to Middle East Eye, with drones hovering over their homes and Israeli soldiers using loudspeakers to demand people leave. He described how biometric technology is being used to target young men for further questioning and arrest, often without any clear grounds for suspicion. "Those who have records are arrested. You don’t know what happens to them after they are taken – whether they will be beaten or worse. You know nothing," Salah said.

According to Palestinian official medical sources, Israeli forces have killed at least 13 Palestinians and injured 50 since the start of the assault on Tuesday morning. The Palestinian Prisoners Society, an oversight organization, reported that Israeli forces have carried out "field executions" during the operation as a form of "collective punishment" to undermine any form of resistance. Meanwhile, medical personnel attempting to treat the wounded continue to face extreme restrictions from Israeli forces.

Israeli forces are strictly controlling the movement of ambulances, and medical personnel are being searched and interrogated before being allowed to provide aid. The Arab 48 news agency reported that residents of the refugee camp have suffered mass arrests, strip searches, and interrogations. An elderly man who had recently undergone surgery shared his experience of being forced to walk a long distance under duress. "They made us walk despite my bad health condition. I walked for almost 1.5 kilometers from 9 am to 5 pm," he told Middle East Eye. He also added that the entrance to the refugee camp was very crowded, with approximately 20 jeeps belonging to the Israeli army surrounding it.

News coverage of the assault has been severely hampered. Palestinian TV reported that Israeli soldiers forced its staff to shut down their live broadcast, confiscated cameras and mobile phones, and threatened to storm the building where the TV office is located. Journalist Amna Bilalou stated that soldiers were still chasing them even after they tried to retreat, making it clear that their reporting was not welcome. "We expect that our office could be stormed at any moment," she added.

Meanwhile, civilian infrastructure in the city has suffered widespread damage. Many homes have been damaged, and the area has sustained significant losses. According to Mohammed Salah, a resident of the refugee camp, the area was already facing electricity and running water shortages before the Israeli assault, due to a more than 45-day assault on Jenin by the Palestinian Authority (PA). On December 5, the PA launched a large-scale security operation in Jenin, which included besieging the city, firing at unarmed civilians, and clashing with local armed groups. In the month leading up to Israel's assault on Tuesday, PA forces killed several Palestinians and injured more.

“When the Israeli army carries out an incursion, the situation is very difficult, especially considering the strikes, the shelling, the martyrs lying in the streets, and the many wounded,” Mohammed told Middle East Eye. “All of this is complicated by the fact that we are already exhausted and have suffered for 45 days.” The Israeli military bombed and raided Jenin on Tuesday, launching a major assault on the northern occupied West Bank city days after a ceasefire in Gaza took effect. The bombing was accompanied by a large-scale ground incursion by Israeli forces, expected to last for several days. These assaults are part of a broader Israeli operation, code-named "Iron Wall," which involves the deployment of a large number of Israeli troops, special forces, and Shin Bet agents.