Escalation of Israeli Military Operations in the West Bank

Escalation in the West Bank: Israeli Military Operations Intensify

On Wednesday, Israel’s military launched extensive raids and airstrikes across the occupied West Bank, marking a significant escalation in its military operations within the Palestinian territory. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least nine individuals have lost their lives in these attacks. Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, indicated that evacuations of certain West Bank residents may be necessary.

Katz stated that the Israeli military had initiated operations in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm aimed at dismantling terrorist groups. He emphasized on social media, “We must confront the threats with the same intensity as we address the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, which includes the potential temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and any other necessary measures.”

This announcement signals a troubling escalation in Israel’s military campaign in the West Bank, which has been intensifying since the onset of the war in Gaza. While approximately 90 percent of Gaza’s over two million residents have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict, the West Bank has not experienced the same level of bombardment, military raids, and evacuation orders that have plagued Gaza over the past ten months.

The Israeli military confirmed that it was conducting counterterrorism operations in both Tulkarm and Jenin, although specific details were not disclosed. Reports indicate that these military operations were also taking place in other areas of the West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that seven fatalities occurred in Tubas, alongside two in Jenin, with another eleven individuals sustaining injuries.

According to Wafa, the official news agency of the Palestinian Authority, Israeli troops have disrupted hospital operations, obstructing ambulances at one medical facility, and have been seen bulldozing infrastructure in both Jenin and Tulkarm. Early Wednesday, Israeli forces imposed a blockade on access to and from Jenin and Tulkarm, with a significant number of military vehicles reportedly entering Jenin.

Just days prior, on Monday, the Israeli military conducted an airstrike in the densely populated Nur Shams area of the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals, whom the military labeled as terrorists. Among those killed in the strike was a man who had been released in November during a prisoner exchange.

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, the United Nations reports that over 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. Additionally, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator has noted that Israeli forces have either demolished or compelled the demolition of more than 1,400 structures throughout the West Bank during this period.