Israel carried out a raid into the occupied West Bank with tanks for the first time since 2002, targeting the Jenin Refugee Camp in the north of the region. Three tanks belonging to the Israeli army conducted the raid on the Jenin Refugee Camp along with other military vehicles.
Footage shared by activists and local media showed Palestinian children throwing stones at the tanks. These images recalled the attacks named “Defense Shield” carried out by the Israeli army in the West Bank during the Second Intifada in 2002. The Israeli army announced during the day that it would expand its attacks in the West Bank by entering Jenin with tanks for the first time since 2002.
Following the implementation of a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza, the Israeli army announced that it would expand and intensify its attack on Jenin initiated on January 21st, targeting villages near Jenin as well. According to the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper, Israeli tanks entered the occupied West Bank for the first time in 22 years and were seen near Jenin. The Israeli army was reported to impose a 48-hour curfew in Kabatiye, south of the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank.
According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Jenin Governor Kemal Abu Rub stated that Israeli forces launched a large-scale attack in Kabatiye in the morning and declared a 48-hour curfew. A written statement from the army indicated that 26 Palestinians were detained in raids conducted in various regions of the West Bank.
The statement also mentioned that Israeli forces expanded their “operations” to several areas in the north of the West Bank throughout the night, detaining Palestinians in these raids. Following the ceasefire in Gaza that came into effect on Sunday, January 19th, on Tuesday, January 21st, the Israeli army launched an attack in Jenin in the northern West Bank, named “Iron Wall”. Expanding its intense attacks in Jenin to Tulkarm on January 27th, El-Faria Refugee Camp in Tubas on February 2nd, and Tamun town, the Israeli army withdrew its forces from Tamun on February 8th after a week-long siege.
On February 9th, Israeli soldiers expanded their attacks to include the Nur Shams Refugee Camp east of Tulkarm. At least 56 Palestinians have lost their lives, thousands have been injured, and extensive damage has been inflicted on structures and infrastructure in the attacks conducted by the Israeli army since January 21st. On the other hand, since October 7th, 2023, in attacks by Israelis who have been seizing Palestinian territories with Israeli soldiers, over 167 children and more than 920 Palestinians have lost their lives, while nearly seven thousand people have been injured in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.