In the biggest West Bank incursion in 20 years, Israel has launched a major aerial and ground offensive in the West Bank city of Jenin in one of its most extensive military operations in the Palestinian territory, reported The Guardian. It added that at least eight Palestinians were killed and 50 injured, 10 seriously, in the attack that began at about 1 am on Monday, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Reuters reported the attack included several drone strikes and involved hundreds of troops in sporadic gun battles that continued into the evening. On Monday afternoon, Israeli sources suggested they would need at least another 24 hours to complete the operation, as per The Guardian.
It added that Israel launched at least 10 drone strikes on buildings, a brigade of Israeli troops – suggesting between 1,000 and 2,000 soldiers – backed by armoured bulldozers and snipers on rooftops entered the city and its refugee camp.
Gunfire and explosions were heard throughout the day as clashes continued between Israeli troops and fighters from the Jenin Brigades, Reuters reported.
"What is going on in the refugee camp is real war," Reuters quoted a Palestinian ambulance driver Khaled Alahmad as saying. "There were strikes from the sky targeting the camp, every time we drive in, around five to seven ambulances and we come back full of injured."
Reuters mentioned that at times during the morning, at least six drones could be seen circling over the city and the adjoining camp.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the White House said it defended Israel’s right to security and was monitoring the situation on the West Bank closely. “We have seen the reports and are monitoring the situation closely,” a White House spokesperson said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“We support Israel’s security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups,” he added.
Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on the Israeli military to exercise restraint.
“While we support Israel’s right to self defence, the protection of civilians must be prioritised,” a spokesperson said, added The Guardian. “In any military operation, we would urge the Israel Defence Forces to demonstrate restraint in its operations and for all parties to avoid further escalation in the West Bank and Gaza.”
A spokesperson for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, called the attack “a new war crime against our defenceless people”.
The UN’s resident humanitarian coordinator Lynn Hastings expressed shock at the scale of Israeli forces operation in Jenin, adding on Twitter: “Airstrikes were used in the densely populated refugee camp. Several dead and critically wounded. Access to all injured must be ensured.”
As per The Guardian, in a joint statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the domestic intelligence service, Shin Bet, said they had attacked a command centre in the Jenin refugee camp that was used by a local militant group.
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