Northern West Bank Under Weeks-Long Israeli Assault

Occupied West Bank (Quds News Network)- The northern West Bank cities of Jenin, Tulkarm, Tammoun, and the Al-Far’a refugee camp have been under a deadly Israeli assault since the launch of a new military operation about three weeks ago. During this time, Palestinians have been killed, displaced, their homes demolished, and infrastructure destroyed.

Jenin

On January 21, the Israeli military announced the start of a military operation in Jenin, which has been marked by forced displacement, home demolitions, mass arrests, reports of field executions by Israeli forces, and a siege on the Jenin refugee camp that has caused widespread infrastructure destruction. According to local and medical sources, at least 38 people have been killed in Jenin since the start of the year. The assault is now in its 18th day.

Around 150-180 homes in Jenin have been severely damaged by the Israeli attack, according to the UN monitoring group OCHA.

Tulkarm

Days later, a new operation was announced in Tulkarm, now in its twelfth day during which Israeli forces have killed Palestinian civilians, raided homes, displaced residents, conducted demolitions, and caused significant destruction.

Tammoun

On February 2, the Israeli military announced the launch of a new operation in the town of Tammoun, forcing families to flee their homes.

Head of the Tammoun Municipality, Najeh Bani Odeh, said that the displaced residents were ordered to remain outside their homes for the next ten days.

On January 29, 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in the town.

In addition to the airstrike, Israeli forces have imposed a strict curfew on Tammoun. The town has been described as a “ghost town” due to the siege and military presence.

The local economy has been paralyzed, with farmers unable to access their lands east of the town, leading to shortages in essential goods. The marketplace is closed, and surrounding towns and villages are lacking a vital market for necessities, including food.

Ambulance crews face delays in reaching areas within the town, as they require permission from the Israeli forces, which can take hours to obtain.

Additionally, delivering food and other basic needs to homes has become challenging due to movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli forces.

Israeli forces have also engaged in demolitions and the displacement of several families throughout the town, replicating tactics used in other parts of the West Bank.

Al-Far’a Refugee Camp

In addition, Israeli forces continue their offensive in the nearby Al-Far’a refugee camp, where they have been conducting widespread house raids. Military forces have deployed heavily in and around the camp, with soldiers moving door-to-door through residential areas.

Israeli forces have been conducting operations in the camp for six consecutive days, involving home raids, property destruction, and the closure of roads with earth mounds. Additionally, at least 25 Palestinian families have been forcibly displaced as their homes were converted into military barracks.

The ongoing offensive has led to widespread infrastructure damage, including the destruction of water pipelines serving homes and farmlands. The military has also imposed curfews and restricted movement, exacerbating the humanitarian situation.

Local authorities report that the Israeli forces has forced families to flee 60 homes in the Al-Far’a and Tammoun camps, turning these buildings into military barracks. The forces have also disrupted essential services, including electricity and water networks, and has prevented the entry of food and medical supplies, leading to shortages for residents.

From Gaza to West Bank: Israel’s Genocide

Israeli media, citing a military source, reported the Israeli military’s ongoing raids are expected to go on for at least several days, mobilising extensive troops, special forces and intelligence personnel.

The operation is codenamed “The Iron Wall”, said the Israeli military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the operation, saying, “Under the guidance of the Security Cabinet, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the Israel Police launched a wide-ranging and significant military operation”, claiming it aims to “combat terrorism.”

At least 890 Palestinians have been killed and more than 6,700 injured by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the start of Israel’s Gaza genocide on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Human rights groups and experts have drawn parallels between Israeli military operations in the West Bank and the genocide in Gaza, suggesting that tactics employed in Gaza are being replicated in the West Bank.

The Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq has warned that Israel is using many of the same tactics in the West Bank that it employed throughout its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Israel’s genocidal tactics to destroy the Palestinian group are further evident in the West Bank, including Jerusalem,” Al-Haq warned.

The tactics include attacks on hospitals, patients and staff, extensive destruction of Palestinian areas, and the wanton killing of Palestinians.

On the day Israel launched its operation in Jenin, independent UN expert Francesca Albanese issued a similar warning.

“If it is not forced to stop, Israel’s genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza. Mark my words,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, remarking that 10 Palestinians had been killed in Jenin already.

“The situation in the northern West Bank is a painful reminder of the first weeks that followed 7 October 2023,” Al-Haq stated.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has expressed concern over the use of military tactics, disproportionate force, and movement restrictions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He stated that the situation in these areas is “dramatically deteriorating.”

“They are attempting to divide the camp into several parts. It’s very similar to northern Gaza,” Michael Milshtein, a former head of the Palestinian division in the Israeli military intelligence, also told The Wall Street Journal.

Palestinian Authority Attacks

Before the Israeli assault, the Palestinian Authority had been conducting a weeks-long operation to reassert control of the city as well as the refugee camp. The large-scale campaign in Jenin involved besieging the city, shooting at unarmed civilians and clashing with local fighters. PA forces killed several Palestinians and injured many more for over a month before Israel’s operation began.