Israel is currently conducting extensive military operations in various parts of the occupied West Bank as the conflict with the Palestinians exacerbates. These operations, believed to be the largest since the commencement of the Gaza war, are aimed at preventing attacks on Israeli citizens. Conversely, Palestinians perceive these raids as an attempt to solidify Israeli control over the region, where 3 million Palestinians live under military rule.
The violence in the West Bank has been escalating, particularly since Hamas’ attack from Gaza on October 7 sparked the war there. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that over 650 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since then, marking the highest rate of casualties since an uprising in the early 2000s. Most of those killed were militants during Israeli raids, but civilian bystanders and protesters have also lost their lives amid the clashes.
The recent significant military operation involved hundreds of Israeli forces conducting simultaneous raids across the northern West Bank, focusing on areas like Jenin, Tulkarem, and the Al-Faraa refugee camp in the Jordan Valley. The operation included blockades, exchanges of fire, and airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Israel claimed that all those killed were militants, with Hamas stating that 10 of them were their fighters.
The violence in the West Bank is closely linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, with Palestinians desiring these territories for a future state. The West Bank is home to over 100 settlements and around 500,000 Jewish settlers, while Palestinians live under military rule, prompting accusations of apartheid by human rights groups.
The raids have primarily targeted densely populated refugee camps that have existed since the 1948 war which created Israel. These camps house millions of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, with many perceiving armed struggle as a means to reclaim their homeland. The issue of Palestinian refugees returning to their pre-1948 homes remains contentious and one of the unresolved challenges in peace talks that collapsed over 15 years ago.
The war coverage continues to develop with contributions from Eleanor Reich in New York. For the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas conflict, follow AP’s war coverage.
