In Pics | Israel undertakes biggest West Bank operation in decades
Biggest West Bank operation
Israel has started one of the biggest West Bank operations in two decades. The attack was launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and targeted Jenin, a city in the northern West Bank with army drones and bulldozers, and armoured vehicles.
Ten people killed
According to an AFP report, 10 people lost their lives and 100 others were injured, with 20 of them being seriously wounded. An Israeli soldier, who was wounded during the operation, was evacuated by a military helicopter.
Around 3,000 people left their homes
Around 3,000 people had left their homes in the Jenin refugee camp since the raid began. As quoted by AFP, Kamal Abu al-Roub, the deputy governor of Jenin, said that schools and other shelters in Jenin city are being prepared to accommodate them.
'Brigade-sized' force
Palestine's Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank is home to 18,000 people. Israeli forces said that it had targeted a "joint operations centre" of a militant group, Jenin Brigade, located in the refugee camp. The army had launched the mission on Monday involving a "brigade-sized" force, suggesting 1,000-2,000 troops.
Water, electricity cut
The operation continued overnight to neutralise an underground shaft used for keeping explosives in the camp. The next morning, the area witnessed closed shops with very few people on the streets and roadblocks due to debris and wreckage. The camp's water and electricity supply has been cut.
Increased raids
Before the operation, Israel had already increased raids in the northern West Bank which led to a rise in attacks on Israelis and Jewish settlers targeting Palestinians. The Israeli-Palestinian violence has got worse over the year under the coalition government of Netanyahu.
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