On Thursday, Israeli forces conducted a raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin, resulting in a lengthy battle with armed militants and the death of 14 individuals. This clash marks one of the most intense confrontations in the occupied West Bank in recent months. Additionally, four more Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers in separate incidents across the West Bank, indicating a surge in violence amidst Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in the nearby Gaza Strip.
Eyewitnesses reported hours of gunfire as Israeli troops engaged in combat with well-armed militants in the streets of Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp, known to harbor numerous heavily armed gunmen. The Israeli military stated that it carried out counterterrorism operations in the city, utilizing a drone to target a group of armed militants. The military also confirmed the arrest of 20 suspects during the raid, along with the seizure of firearms and ammunition.
Tragically, among those killed was a 15-year-old boy, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. The violence further spread throughout the West Bank, with fatalities reported near Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron, and on the outskirts of Ramallah, the main city in the region.
Since the October 7 attack on Israel from Gaza by Hamas gunmen, which prompted Israel’s military response, at least 178 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. Israel’s assault on Gaza resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people, primarily civilians, and the capture of approximately 240 hostages, according to Israeli estimates. Palestinian officials claim that 10,812 residents of Gaza have been killed as of Thursday, with nearly 40% of them being children. Meanwhile, basic supplies are running low, and Israeli bombardments have left areas devastated.
The mounting death toll in the West Bank raises concerns that the territory, which Israel seized in the 1967 war, could spiral out of control in tandem with the conflict against Hamas in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the “bloody aggression” by the Israeli occupation in Jenin, asserting that it was a deliberate escalation aimed at destabilizing the West Bank.
Israel has made it clear that its objective is to dismantle Hamas. Israeli jets have relentlessly bombarded the Gaza Strip for weeks, while tanks and troops have entered the enclave, effectively surrounding Gaza City.
As the fighting intensifies, anger has been growing in the West Bank and other parts of the Arab world, leading to mounting calls for a ceasefire.
