Israel's major military operation in occupied West Bank kills 9 Palestinians

A member of the Israeli forces walks next to an armoured vehicle during a military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin/ PTI

Israel began a significant military operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, killing at least nine Palestinians, according to Palestinian sources. The operation took place in Jenin, a militant stronghold for many years, as well as Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp. The Israeli military used airstrikes to target what they characterised as militants. Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, indicated that the operation was intended to prevent attacks on Israeli citizens and was the initial stage of a bigger effort, reported PTI.

According to the PTI report, Palestinian organisations confirmed they were fighting Israeli forces. According to Jenin's governor, Kamal Abu al-Rub, Israeli forces have surrounded the city, blocking highways, preventing access to hospitals, and causing infrastructure damage.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli soldiers have barred hospital entrance and encircled other medical institutions in Jenin. Shoshani replied, claiming that the military was stopping terrorists from seeking safety in hospitals.

Israel Katz, Israel's Foreign Minister, compared the situation in the West Bank to Gaza and proposed that similar military measures be taken. However, Shoshani stated that there were no plans to evacuate civilians, the report added.

Hamas urged Palestinians in the West Bank to rise, accusing the escalation of being part of a larger strategy to expand the conflict. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, criticised the raids and called on the United States to intervene.

Reportedly, since the war in Gaza began over ten months ago, at least 652 Palestinians have been slain in the West Bank, the majority of them during similar assaults. Israel believes that these operations are vital to removing Hamas and other violent organisations.

The war in Gaza began on October 7 when Hamas-led terrorists assaulted southern Israel, prompting Israel's response, which has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian casualties. The scenario has displaced almost 90 per cent of Gaza's population and caused widespread harm, the AP report stated.

Negotiations for a truce involving the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have thus far failed, with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising "total victory" over Hamas. The talks are likely to resume in Qatar this week.