Killings in West Bank
On Friday, August 30th, Israel killed Wissam Khazem, HAMAS military commander in Jenin, West Bank, along with other three members. They were killed in Zababdeh, south-east of Jenin. The Israeli Defense Forces killed ten people and blocked access to Jenin. Israel mentions that the ten dead people were militiamen. Other five suspects were arrested. On Monday, September 2nd, the PA closed the number of casualties in 30, with 21 injured people.
The Israeli Defense Forces killed Wissam Khazem in gunfire after identifying him a vehicle. It launched airstrikes after that, killing other two militants. The other two members were identified as Maysara Masharqa and Arafat Amer, who were members of HAMAS under Khazem command. They were killed when they tried to flee. Another casualty was Muhhamad Jabber, aka Abu Shujaa, Islamic Jihad commander in Jenin. Palestinian groups mentioned they were exchanging fire with Israeli troops.
Jenin’s governor, Kamal Abu al-Rub, accused IDF of surrounding the city and blocking entrance and exit points, as well as access to hospitals, and destroying camp infrastructure. The IDF had blocked the roads to a hospital and surrounded medical installations in Jenin. An AP reporter saw military vehicles blocking all entrances to the al-Farah camp. There were also diggers in the camp, as well as soldiers patrolling the camp. Every few minutes there were shots being fired.
This comes during an escalation in West Bank, which has left at least three Palestinians dead. Israel has carried out operations in the region since the October 7th attacks. Israel has also been accused of deliberately destroying Jenin’s infrastructure, arresting without justification, and seriously threatening the safety of more than ten thousand inhabitants of the refugee camp. The United Nations has evidence of at least twelve dead Palestinians, including five killed in airstrikes and seven killed by live ammunition. The UN has accused Israel also of destroying roads, mosques, particular houses, and a mosque. Since Israel began to occupy West Bank in 1967, the number of illegal settlements has increased.
Israeli Foreign Minister, Israeli Katz, compared the situation to Gaza, and asked for similar measures in West Bank. He has accused Iran of working to establish an “Eastern Front” in West Bank against Israel, along with Hezbollah and HAMAS. This attack is one of the largest assaults in occupied West Bank in years.
Wassem Hazzem was accused of planning attacks in West Bank and against Israeli targets.
Israel mentions it aims to kill militants in order to protect its citizens. On the other hand, Palestinians in West Bank fear that Israel aims to broaden the war and carry out more forced displacements of them. Lieutenant colonel mentions this operation is the first phase of a bigger one.
According to Palestinian sources, Israeli attacks have killed at least 652 people in West Bank since the war began. Most of them have died in raids, which trigger shootings with militiamen. The ministry said an elderly man was killed by Israeli gunfire in Jenin, while Israeli forces pulled out of Tulkarm. He was identified as Tawfaq Qandil, 82.
Antonio Guterres called for the operation to cease. Spain did the same.
HAMAS acknowledged the deaths, confirming Khazem as it leader in Jenin. On the other hand, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade described Masharqa as its “most prominent field commander in Jenin”. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has denounced that Israel has been using force illegally in West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, compared the situation to Gaza. He asked for similar measures in West Bank.
“We must face the threat in the same way we face the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporal evacuation of Palestinian residents and any necessary measure. This is a war in all aspects and we must win”, he said.
On the other hand, HAMAS called residents in West Bank to rebel. The group described the assault as part of a broader plan to expand the war in Gaza, also blaming US support for Israel for the escalation. HAMAS also called the PA security forces that cooperate with Israel to join the battle. Mahmoud Abbas spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, condemned the assault as a “grave escalation”, asking the US to intervene. Abbas cancelled a visit to Saudi Arabia, returning to West Bank.
The IDF mentioned this was the first phase, so the operations in West Bank are expected to continue and even intensify.
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Militant leaders were killed in an operation in West Bank. This comes in the first phase of an operation in West Bank that is expected to escalate.
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