By Ezekiel David
On Thursday, the Israeli military reported killing five Palestinian fighters who were concealed within a mosque in Tulkarm, a West Bank city. This operation marks one of the largest Israeli assaults on the occupied territory in recent months.
The operation, which began in the early hours of Wednesday, involved hundreds of Israeli troops supported by helicopters, drones, and armoured vehicles. They raided the cities of Tulkarm and Jenin, as well as areas in the Jordan Valley. A Reuters witness indicated the operation was still ongoing.
Palestinian health authorities reported at least 12 Palestinians killed during Wednesday’s operations. Additionally, a complete network outage affected Jawwal, a major telecommunications company in Gaza and the West Bank.
In Jenin on Thursday, bulldozers moved through deserted streets as drones buzzed overhead. Israeli troops remained stationed outside the city’s main hospital, searching ambulances. The military had blocked access to the hospital with earthmounds and was inspecting ambulances to prevent fighters from seeking refuge there.
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah’s armed wings claimed their gunmen were detonating bombs against Israeli military vehicles in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Far’a (a town in the Jordan Valley).
Israel identified one of the five fighters killed in the Tulkarm mosque as Muhhamad Jabber, also known as “Abu Shujaa,” the leader of a fighter network in the Nur Shams refugee camp.
Clashes in the West Bank have intensified since Israel’s war with Hamas militants in Gaza began nearly 11 months ago. Israel accuses Iran of supplying weapons and support to militant factions and has increased West Bank operations. Simultaneously, Jewish settlers have carried out frequent attacks on Palestinian communities.
(Source: Reuters)