Thousands Forcibly Evacuated as Israel Presses West Bank Operation

Health officials say 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 others injured since the raid began earlier this week.

Thu Jan 23 2025
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WEST BANK, Palestine: Israeli forces have intensified their military offensive in the occupied West Bank, with the ongoing operation in the Jenin refugee camp leaving thousands displaced and dozens of homes destroyed.

On Thursday, two Palestinians were killed in Burqin, near Jenin, as the military pressed on with its campaign, which residents described as turning the camp into a “war zone.”

According to Palestinian health officials, 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 others injured since the raid began earlier this week.

Thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes after Israeli drones equipped with loudspeakers ordered evacuations, warning that houses would be demolished.

“Yesterday, we did not want to leave, we were at home,” said 16-year-old Hussam Saadi, a resident of Jenin. “Today, they sent a drone to our neighbourhood, telling us to leave the camp and that they will blow it up.”

Israeli military officials, including Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, have stated that the operation aims to target militant groups in the refugee camp. “We need to be prepared to continue in the Jenin camp and bring it to a different place,” Halevi said in a statement.

The raid, involving large columns of military vehicles, drones, and helicopters, coincides with the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The ceasefire saw the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners last week, following months of Israeli violence in the besieged enclave. The Jenin operation is the third such major raid by Israeli forces in less than two years.

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Palestinian officials have condemned the assault, describing it as collective punishment. International actors, including France and Jordan, have issued warnings about the risks of further escalation.

“This operation has rendered Jenin uninhabitable,” said a Palestinian official, urging international intervention to stop the attacks.

Israeli armoured bulldozers have dug up roads in Jenin as part of the operation, which Israeli officials claim is necessary to dismantle militant infrastructure in the camp.

However, residents say the military’s actions have left the area in ruins, forcing families to seek refuge elsewhere.

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