Israel Raids Jenin Camp: Massive Military Operation In West Bank

Zaheer Hussain
July 5, 2023
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The Israeli Army has launched a massive military operation against the Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank’s northwestern region. It all started with a series of drone strikes. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least three Palestinians have been killed and more than 20 others have been injured in the ongoing raid. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that they were targeting terrorist infrastructure in Jenin. They stated that we will not stand by idly while terrorists continue to harm civilians while using Jenin Camp as a safe haven, adding that the camp was a terrorist stronghold.

Why In The News?

The Israeli Army Has Launched A Massive Military Operation On The Jenin Camp In The North Of The Occupied West Bank. It Started With Multiple Drone Strikes. The Palestinian Health Ministry Said At Least Three Palestinians Were Killed And More Than 20 Others Wounded In The Ongoing Raid.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Said They Were Striking Terrorist Infrastructure In The Jenin Area. They Said That We Will Not Standby Idle While Terrorists Continue To Harm Civilians Using Jenin Camp As A Hideout, Adding That The Camp Was A Terrorist Stronghold.

What Do We Know?

At Around 1 A.M., Israeli Airstrikes Targeted A Building In Jenin That The Army Said Was Being Used By Militants To Plan Attacks. This Was Swiftly Followed By An Infantry Incursion. Palestinian Factions In The Area Said They Were Acting Against The Troops And Deployed Explosive Devices Against Army Vehicles.
One Israeli Soldier Was Lightly Injured. The Operation Continued Long Into Daybreak, With Israel Saying It Had Raided A “Unified Command Center” For The Jenin Brigades In The City’s Refugee Camp, Where Militants From Different Factions Would Gather To Coordinate And Prepare For Attacks.
Israeli Bulldozers Were Also Filmed Destroying Streets, While Palestinian Residents Reported Electricity Blackouts For Several Hours. The Israeli Army Says Its Current Priority Is Collecting Weapons In Jenin Refugee Camp.
So Far, 20 Palestinians Have Been Arrested, While A Laboratory For Manufacturing Explosives And Parts Of A Rocket Launcher Were Also Seized. The Palestinian Health Ministry Has Already Reported Nine Deaths And At Least 50 More Wounded, 10 Critically, With The Operation Still Unfolding.

Reasons For The Raid?

Israel Has Been Operating Across Cities In The West Bank, Nominally Under The Control Of The Palestinian Authority Since A Spike In Palestinian Attacks Against Soldiers And Civilians Over The Last Year.
In Recent Weeks, A Series Of Lethal Army Raids In The West Bank, Rampant Settler Violence And Palestinian Shooting Attacks Against Israelis Have Left The Situation Even More Precarious.
The Army’s Deployment Of An Apache Helicopter And Armed Drones In Jenin In Recent Weeks Has Signaled A Marked Escalation In The War Against The Militants. Since The Start Of The Year, 135 Palestinians And 24 Israelis Have Been Killed.
That Death Toll Is One Of The Highest Since 2005, Which Saw The End Of The Second Intifada – Half A Decade Of Sustained Fighting That Included Israeli Ground Invasions And Airstrikes On Palestinian Territory, And A Growing Militarization Of Palestinian Opposition, Including Suicide Bombings.
Israel Argues That Such Operations Are Necessary To Prevent Terror Attacks, While Palestinians Say An Open-ended And Intensifying Occupation With No Horizon For Political Resolution Makes Such Violence Inevitable.

What Is Unique About Jenin?

Alongside The City – The Third Largest In The West Bank – The Densely Crowded Refugee Camp Is Home To Hundreds Of Fighters From Militant Groups Including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad And Fatah, As Well As Some 14,000 Palestinians.
Along With Nablus About An Hour To The South, The City Of Jenin Has Become The Epicenter Of Israeli Raids Over The Last Year. Dogged By A Lack Of Capability And Legitimacy, The Palestinian Authority Has Left A Power Vacuum In The Two Cities That Have Led To The Emergence Of Local Militant Groups.
The Fighters In The Camps Are Armed With Weapons Smuggled Into The West Bank Or Stolen From Israeli Forces. Two Homemade Rockets Were Also Fired From The Area Last Week.

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