Israel’s military has intensified a counterterrorism operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, resulting in the arrest of at least 25 individuals over the past day, according to reports from Palestinian news media.
The operation has led to a rising death toll, with the total number of fatalities increasing to 10 since the raid began, up from eight reported on Tuesday. Additionally, four more individuals were injured in Jenin, as reported by Palestinian officials and cited by Wafa, the official news agency of the Palestinian Authority.
While the military's focus has been on Jenin, arrests were also made in other areas, including Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Bethlehem. Enhanced security measures at Israeli checkpoints have impeded traffic flow; notably, a 45-year-old woman reportedly died while waiting at a checkpoint near Hebron to reach a hospital, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Jenin's mayor, Mohammad Jarar, indicated that Israeli forces had detained up to 600 individuals overnight at the Jenin Governmental Hospital, but they were permitted to leave the following morning. Reports also noted that Israeli bulldozers obstructed the hospital’s entrances with dirt from surrounding streets.
However, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, refuted claims that residents had been forced from their homes, asserting that “there’s no evacuation order in Jenin.” He explained that individuals at the hospital were temporarily held to protect them from explosives being detonated in the vicinity.
Following a temporary cease-fire in Gaza, Israel has redirected its focus to the West Bank, where tensions have escalated due to the growing power of militants and an increase in violence against Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers.
Col. Shoshani characterized the current operation as comparable to a previous extensive raid conducted in August, which resulted in 21 fatalities, marking one of the most significant military actions in the West Bank in recent years. He emphasized that the operation aims to mitigate militant attacks, particularly those involving improvised explosives placed under civilian streets and Israeli military vehicles.
He stated, “Our strategy is to fight those terrorists while we enable the civilian population to go on with their lives.”
In a series of social media posts, Roland Friedrich, the West Bank director for the United Nations agency assisting Palestinians, indicated that the Israeli operation is anticipated to continue for several days and is employing advanced weaponry, including airstrikes in Jenin.