Israeli forces continue devastating assault on West Bank's Jenin

Israeli forces continue devastating assault on West Bank's Jenin
The violent Israeli raids on West Bank cities have entered their sixth day, with Israeli forces detaining men from villages near Jenin as the assaul continues.
3 min read
02 September, 2024
The raids across the West Bank have been ongoing for six days, with key infrastructure in Jenin destroyed [Getty]

Israeli forces continued their deadly assault on occupied West Bank cities on Monday, with the violent raids entering the sixth day and focused on Jenin.

Israeli soldiers stormed the village of Deir Abu Deif, east of Jenin, early Monday and detained two young men. Another man from the town of Yamoun and former prisoner Yahya Al-Zubaidi were also detained.

Two Palestinians were killed on Sunday near the city of Jenin after Israeli forces opened fire at them at the entrance to the town of Kafr Dan, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.

Abdullah Nasser Hammou and Mohammed Mahmoud Hammou were killed while trying to distribute bread to people amidst the ongoing siege of the city.

Laith Marwan Shawahneh was also killed on Sunday evening, while another person was reported wounded by an Israeli drone strike in the town of Silat Al-Harithiya, west of Jenin.

Palestinians in the Jenin camp have been detained with nearby hospitals placed under siege and medical staff attacked. Homes have also been heavily damaged in the assault.

Volunteer crews trying to transport food and supplies to families in the camp, who have not had access to food or water for days, have been attacked or obstructed.

Electricity has also been cut off throughout the Jenin camp since the start of the raids, with telecommunications services also affected.

The large-scale offensive has destroyed key infrastructure including roads and homes, with Israeli forces saying they are carrying out "counterterrorism operations".

Palestinians maintain this is an attempt by Israel to push them out of their homes with civilian infrastructure deliberately targeted.

According to Jenin’s municipality, Israeli forces have bulldozed around 70 percent of the streets there, as well as its water and sewage networks.

Dozens of families have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Jenin because of the offensive and bulldozing activity.

Shops and businesses in the city have been forced to close, making it harder for people to get access to essential food items.

The ongoing military operation is being described as the largest of its kind since 2002, marking a significant escalation while Israel’s war on Gaza rages on,  targeting other cities including Nablus, Tubas, Bethlehem, and Tulkarem.

The UN has raised concerns the latest Israeli raid was "fuelling an already explosive situation".

The operation has garnered international condemnation, with Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, saying it took place "in close proximity to four hospitals" and some "have been surrounded", preventing medical staff from doing their job.

Guterres also called for an "immediate cessation of these operations" in an official statement from his office.

Palestinian rights groups including Al-Haq, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights and The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights called on the international community to immediately intervene and enact measures against Israel to ensure international laws are being abided by.