Israel is conducting large-scale military operations in parts of the occupied West Bank as the conflict with the Palestinians intensifies. The recent surge in violence predates the outbreak of the war in Gaza and has led to a significant number of casualties.
The Israeli military states that the operation aims to prevent attacks on its citizens, while Palestinians perceive it as an attempt to solidify Israeli control over the territory where 3 million Palestinians live under military rule.
Since Hamas' attack out of Gaza in October, over 650 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank, marking the highest casualty rate since the early 2000s uprising. The casualties include militants, civilian bystanders, and rock-throwing protesters, reflecting the escalating violence in the region.
The latest operation involved hundreds of Israeli forces conducting simultaneous raids in the northern West Bank, focusing on Jenin's urban refugee camp, Tulkarem, and the Al-Faraa refugee camp in the Jordan Valley. The raids included the use of armored vehicles, bulldozers, sand berms, and airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals, with conflicting reports on whether they were militants or civilians.
The violence in the West Bank is closely linked to the war in Gaza, with both regions being at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 war, and Palestinians seek these territories for a future state.
The refugee camps targeted in the raids are home to millions of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, who view armed struggle as a means to reclaim their homeland. These camps, established after the 1948 war, have become militant strongholds, fueling ongoing tensions in the region.
The situation in the West Bank underscores the complex dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with competing narratives and historical grievances shaping the ongoing violence and military operations.
