Israeli attack on Jenin: Nine killed in West Bank as PA, international community condemn aggression

PA calls Israeli operation in Jenin a 'war crime'

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has condemned Israel's aggression in Jenin, calling it a "new war crime" against Palestinians.

"What the Israeli government is doing in the city of Jenin and its camp is a new war crime against our defenceless people," spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement, as cited by Al Jazeera.

Abu Rudeineh added that the crimes committed by Israel and illegal settlers "will not achieve security and stability for them unless our Palestinian people also feel them."

He also urged the international community to "break its shameful silence and take serious action to compel Israel to stop its aggression against our Palestinian people, and to hold it accountable for all these crimes."

UAE condemns Israeli aggression in Jenin

The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression in Jenin and its camp since dawn on Monday, which led to the killing of several Palestinians and the injury of tens of others.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed in a press statement the need for "the immediate cessation of all repeated and escalated campaigns" carried out against the Palestinian people, stressing the need for concentrated international efforts to "achieve ceasefire in order to revive the peace process in the Middles East."

The UAE normalised relations with Israel in 2020, as part of the Donald Trump brokered Abraham Accords, which were viewed by Palestinians as a "stab in the back" for their cause.

الإمارات تدين بشدة الاعتداءات الإسرائيلية على جنين ومخيمهاhttps://t.co/8we6ozmHOA

— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) July 3, 2023

US supports Israel's right to 'defend itself'

The White House said is monitoring closely the situation in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces hit the city of Jenin with drone strikes and killed many Palestinian men, a spokesperson said on Monday.

"We have seen the reports and are monitoring the situation closely," a White House spokesperson said. "We support Israel’s security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups."

(Reuters)

Israeli forces shoot three Palestinians, detain two of them in Jenin

The Israeli army has shot three Palestinian men and detained two of them amid an ongoing assault in the West Bank city of Jenin.

The shooting occurred near the al-Jalboni roundabout in al-Basateen neighborhood of Jenin, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

Israeli forces reportedly prevented ambulance crews from assisting two of them, while the third man, who was shot by several bullets, was taken to hospital for treatment.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it requires at least "another 24 hours" to complete the operation begun in the West Bank city of Jenin in the early hours of Monday morning, according to Reuters.

The military has so far declined to say how long the operation will take, saying only that it could be longer than one day and forces would stay as long as necessary.

(Reuters)

Jenin officials urge residents to limited water consumption

The Jenin municipality has called on residents to limit water use because of "the occupation forces intentional destruction of the main pipes of the water grid". 

The municipality is also urging households to conserve food because the city is under siege by Israeli forces, and it's uncertain when food supplies will reach them again. 

Israeli assault continues on Jenin as confrontations with Palestinians take place

Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian resistance fighters near al-Ansar Mosque in the Jenin refugee camp are currently ongoing, local media said.

Israeli forces have surrounded the area and are "besieging" it, the reports said as cited by Al-Jazeera, adding that the Israeli army has sent more of its soldiers and vehicles into the West Bank camp.

Jenin has witnessed multiple raids and assaults in recent months, which have resulted in the killing of scores of Palestinians.

Palestinian Health Ministry releases Jenin victims' names

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has released the names of those who were killed during the Jenin assault on Monday by Israeli forces.

The victims were named as: Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa, 20, Husam Firas Abu Dheeba, 18, 19-year-old Aws Hani Hannoun, 16-year-old Nour el-Din Husam Marshoud, Mohammed Muhannad al-Shami, 23, 21-year-old Ahmed Mohammed Amer, Majdi Ararawi and Ali Hani al-Ghould, both 17.

21-year-old Mohammed Imad Hasanein was also killed near an entrance to the city of Ramallah.

شُهداء جِنين | 3.7.2023 :
- الشهيد سميح أبو الوفا
- الشهيد حسام أبو ذيبة
- الشهيد أوس الحنون
- الشهيد مجدي عرعراوي
- الشهيد نور الدين مرشود
- الشهيد علي الغول
- الشهيد محمد الشامي
- الشهيد أحمد العامر

الشُهداء مش أرقام، المجد للشُهداء. pic.twitter.com/wzIXdSPyPT

— Raghad🇵🇸 (@raghadm48) July 3, 2023

OIC calls Israeli assault on Jenin a 'heinous crime'

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned the deadly Israeli operation in Jenin, calling it a "heinous crime".

The organisation's General Secretary slammed the assault carried out against "unarmed civilians, medical staff and health centres", as well as the destruction of infrastructure and the demolition of homes and mosques" in the occupied West Bank territory.

"This heinous crime constitutes an extension of crimes and organised state terrorism practiced by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people," the OIC said in a statement.

Israeli forces target major West Bank hospital

The Israeli army has reportedly targeted the West Bank hospital of Ibn Sina, as well as other residential buildings inside the Jenin camp, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said on Monday.

A correspondent for the Palestinian agency said that Israeli forces opened fire at people at the hospital's emergency department.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army fired two missiles at a residential building in the camp after it was evacuated from its inhabitants.

Israeli troops 'knocking down' Jenin homes to continue operation

The Israeli army is reportedly knocking down Palestinian homes in Jenin to facilitate movement in the West Bank city as the deadly assault which began early on Monday continues.

The forces are using such homes as bases in order to fire against Palestinian resistant fighters.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials said the operation will continue in Jenin, despite the increasing death toll and damage caused.

In a security statement, Tel Aviv said: "The Prime Minister was briefed on the progress of the operation and on the activity of the forces on the ground. He also received an intelligence briefing and discussed future operational plans."

Egypt, Jordan condemn Israeli violence in Jenin

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it condemned the latest Israeli assault in the West Bank's, where at least nine people have been killed in Jenin and it surroundings.

In a statement, the Ministry said it "rejected Israel's repeated attacks and incursions on Palestinian cities", as well as the excessive use of violence and the flagrant violation of international law and human rights.

Cairo further warned that such incursions undermine Egypt's efforts in to reduce tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Additionally, Jordan also slammed the escalating violence in the West Bank.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates spokesman Sinan Majali said that the international community should "take immediate action to put an end to the continuous incursions into Palestinian cities" and ensure their protection from repeated assaults.

Majali also stressed the escalation violates international law.

Local sources confirmed to The New Arab's Arabic-language site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that explosions and clashes between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli forces were heard in the vicinity of the Jenin refugee camp.

The Jenin branch of the Al-Quds Brigades confirmed, in a press statement, that its fighters targeted special forces who had barricaded themselves inside a house on the outskirts of the camp, and showered them with a heavy barrage of bullets and hand grenades.

It also confirmed that its fighters carried out a number of strikes against the Israeli army forces since this morning, and were able to detonate a number of explosive devices.

According to the Brigades' statement, an armored military vehicle was targeted this morning with such explosives, which led to its damage and fire.

Israeli forces target journalists reporting in Jenin

The Israeli army on Monday targeted Palestinian journalists covering the latest attack on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at Al-Araby TV reporter Amid Shehadeh, as well as cameraman Rabi Munir, which subsequently set the camera and transmitter on fire.

Shehadeh said Israeli forces directly targeted him and the cameraman with more than six bullets that hit the camera and the transmitter.

Five other journalists are reportedly trapped inside a house in Jenin's refugee camp and are targeting them directly.

لحظة استهداف فريق التلفزيون العربي وإطلاق النار باتجاه الكاميرا وجهاز البث المباشر خلال تغطيته اقتحام #مخيم_جنين #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/nGyNoB70f5

— التلفزيون العربي (@AlarabyTV) July 3, 2023

'No intention' to expand operation outside of Jenin: Israeli FM

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Monday signaled Israel was not intending to expand an operation in the Palestinian city Jenin to the entire occupied West Bank.

"Our goal is to focus on Jenin, and our goal is to focus only on the terrorists and their cells," Cohen told reporters in Jerusalem. 

(Reuters)

Palestinian residents say that Israel launched at least 10 air attacks in Jenin overnight on Monday.

A convoy of dozens of Israeli armoured vehicles also surrounded the refugee camp and launched a ground military operation, causing heavy damage to homes and roads.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the names of four of the people killed in Jenin as Sameeh Abu al-Wafa, Hussam Abu Theeba, Aws al-Hanoun and Nour el-Din Marshoud, noting that they were all shot in the chest and head.

At least two dozen other Palestinians were injured in the camp, including many who remain in critical condition.