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Israeli Military Withdrawal from Jenin After 10-Day Offensive
Explore the implications of the Israeli military’s recent withdrawal from Jenin after a 10-day offensive. Understand the regional impact, insights from local communities, and the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations in this comprehensive analysis.
Israeli Military Withdrawal from Jenin: A 10-Day Offensive
On Friday, Israeli military forces appeared to have begun their withdrawal from the Palestinian city of Jenin, following a protracted 10-day operation that resulted in the tragic loss of 21 lives, including children, and left a trail of devastation across the area. This information has been reported by various Palestinian news agencies and confirmed by local residents.
As the Israeli military pulled back from the densely populated area in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian civil defense teams, alongside public works and utility employees, mobilized to evaluate the extent of the damage. Reports from Wafa, the official news agency of the Palestinian Authority, indicated that these teams have commenced efforts to restore essential services that were severely impacted during the military operation.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether all Israeli soldiers have completely exited Jenin or if there is a possibility of their return. Over the past week, as part of one of the most extensive and lethal military operations in years, Israeli forces have repeatedly withdrawn from Palestinian cities and towns only to return shortly thereafter.
In a statement released on Friday, the Israeli military refrained from explicitly confirming a withdrawal. Instead, they asserted that their forces “are continuing to act in order to achieve the objectives of the counterterrorism operation,” indicating that the situation remains fluid and potentially volatile.
Many Palestinian residents, who had been confined to their homes for days amidst the chaos of Israeli troops and heavy machinery traversing the streets of Jenin, cautiously ventured out into the open on Friday. Some individuals who had previously fled the violence returned to find their neighborhoods dramatically altered and unrecognizable.
“God, I just collapsed,” expressed Kareeman Abu Naise, 30, upon viewing video footage of her home captured by her father-in-law, who had managed to return to the neighborhood known as Jenin camp. The emotional toll of the destruction was palpable as residents grappled with the aftermath of the military incursion.