Israeli Military Begins Withdrawing Troops from West Bank Stronghold After Intense Operation
JENIN, West Bank – The Israeli military has started withdrawing troops from a militant stronghold in the occupied West Bank, according to security officials. The two-day operation resulted in the deaths of at least 13 Palestinians, the displacement of thousands of people, and significant damage to the area. One Israeli soldier was also killed.
However, heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants is still ongoing in parts of the Jenin refugee camp, causing a delay in the planned pullout. Residents in the camp reported that the army had left the area just after midnight, but the army confirmed that a soldier had been killed in the fighting without providing further details.
In addition to the ongoing conflict in Jenin, militants in the Gaza Strip launched five rockets into Israel, according to the Israeli army. Although all of the rockets were intercepted, the launches have raised concerns about the possibility of fighting on a second front for Israel.
These developments occurred just hours after a Hamas militant drove his car into a crowded bus stop in Tel Aviv and began stabbing people, injuring eight individuals, including a pregnant woman who reportedly lost her baby. The attacker was killed by an armed bystander, and Hamas claimed that the attack was in revenge for the Israeli offensive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to a military post outside Jenin, indicated that the operation was nearing its end but vowed to carry out similar operations in the future. He stated, “At these moments we are completing the mission, and I can say that our extensive operation in Jenin is not a one-off.”
Late Tuesday, the Israeli military carried out an airstrike targeting a militant cell located in a cemetery. The military claimed that the gunmen threatened forces moving out of the camp, but there was no immediate information on casualties.
Fighting was also reported near a hospital in Jenin, with explosions and gunfire heard in the area. Palestinian hospital officials stated that three civilians were hit by Israeli fire. An Israeli security official confirmed that troops had begun to leave but said the withdrawal was complicated by the ongoing fighting.
The Israeli military launched the operation in Jenin on Monday, aiming to destroy and confiscate weapons in the camp, which is known as a bastion of Palestinian militants. Palestinian health officials reported that 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens were wounded. The military stated that it had confiscated thousands of weapons, bomb-making materials, and caches of money, with weapons found in both militant hideouts and civilian areas.
The sustained operation in Jenin is part of a larger spike in violence that has posed a challenge for Netanyahu’s far-right government. Over 140 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, and Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis have killed at least 25 people.
Humanitarian groups have raised concerns about the deteriorating situation, with Doctors Without Borders accusing the army of firing tear gas into a hospital and the U.N.’s human rights chief stating that the scale of the operation raises serious issues with respect to international human rights norms and standards.
The raid in Jenin bears similarities to Israeli military tactics during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, but it is more limited in scope, focusing on several strongholds of Palestinian militants.
The attack in Tel Aviv was carried out by a 20-year-old Palestinian man from Hebron, according to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Hamas praised the attacker as a “martyr fighter” and called the ramming “heroic and revenge for the military operation in Jenin.”
In Jenin, the streets are filled with rubble, and black smoke periodically rises above the camp, which has been a flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian violence for years. Around 4,000 Palestinians, nearly one third of the camp’s population, have fled to stay with relatives or in shelters, according to Jenin Mayor Nidal Al-Obeidi.
Palestinians across the West Bank observed a general strike to protest the Israeli raid. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the two-day death toll among Palestinians rose to 13, but the Israeli military did not provide details on the number of militants killed.
The Palestinian self-rule government in the
What were the objectives of the Israeli military’s operation in Jenin, and were they successfully achieved?
The Israeli military has initiated the withdrawal of its troops from a militant stronghold in the occupied West Bank, according to security officials. The operation, which lasted for two days, resulted in the deaths of at least 13 Palestinians, the displacement of thousands, and significant damage to the area. One Israeli soldier was also killed.
However, clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants are still ongoing in some parts of the Jenin refugee camp, causing a delay in the planned withdrawal. Residents in the camp reported that the army left the area just after midnight, but the military confirmed the death of a soldier in the fighting without providing further details.
In addition to the conflict in Jenin, militants in the Gaza Strip fired five rockets into Israel, all of which were intercepted by the Israeli army. These launches have raised concerns about the possibility of a second front for Israel.
These events occurred shortly after a Hamas militant drove his car into a crowded bus stop in Tel Aviv and began stabbing people, injuring eight individuals, including a pregnant woman. The attacker was killed by an armed bystander, and Hamas claimed that the attack was in retaliation for the Israeli offensive.
During a visit to a military post outside Jenin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation was almost over but vowed to conduct similar operations in the future. He declared, “Our extensive operation in Jenin is not a one-off.”
On Tuesday night, the Israeli military launched an airstrike on a militant cell in a cemetery, claiming that the gunmen posed a threat to the forces moving out of the camp. However, there is no immediate information on casualties.
Fighting was also reported near a hospital in Jenin, with explosions and gunfire heard in the area. Palestinian hospital officials stated that three civilians were injured by Israeli gunfire. An Israeli security official confirmed the troop withdrawal but said it was complicated by ongoing clashes.
The Israeli military initiated the operation in Jenin on Monday with the objective of destroying and confiscating weapons in the camp, which is known as a stronghold of Palestinian militants. Palestinian health officials reported 13 fatalities and dozens of injuries, while the military claimed to have confiscated weapons during the operation.
It’s a relief to see tensions ease as the Israeli military completes its withdrawal from Jenin. Hopefully, this marks a step towards peaceful coexistence and opens doors for dialogue between all parties involved.
“Hopefully, the withdrawal of Israeli military from Jenin signals a step towards peace and stability in the West Bank. Let’s hope this marks the end of intense operations and paves the way for dialogue and understanding between the parties involved.”