Escalating Conflict: Israeli Military Intensifies Operations in the West Bank Amid Global Condemnation

The Israeli military has significantly escalated its operations in the occupied West Bank, marking the second consecutive day of intensified assaults that have drawn widespread international condemnation. The ongoing military actions have led to the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, according to reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa on Thursday.

Since the inception of this operation, Israeli forces have detained at least 20 Palestinians, including children. This number is expected to rise as the raids continue, as reported by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.

In one of the most severe incidents, Israeli forces targeted the Nur Shams refugee camp, where they claimed to have killed five Palestinian fighters inside a mosque. Among the deceased was Mohamed Jaber, also known as Abu Shuja’a, the commander of the Tulkarem Battalion. The Israeli military asserts that Abu Shuja’a was responsible for the killing of an Israeli man in Qalqilya earlier in June.

The current wave of raids began on Wednesday, focusing on Jenin, Tulkarem, and the Far’a refugee camp near Tubas. This marks the largest military operation in these areas in two decades, with Israeli officials justifying the actions as a response to what they describe as "armed terrorists posing a threat to security forces."

Nida Ibrahim, a correspondent reporting from Tulkarem, noted that while Israeli attacks on the West Bank have become a daily occurrence, the scale of the current operation is unprecedented. “This assault is far more extensive, with forces simultaneously raiding four refugee camps. The atmosphere among residents is one of palpable fear and anxiety,” she reported.

The scope of the military operations expanded overnight to include areas south of Bethlehem, the Arroub refugee camp north of Hebron, Nablus city, and the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that since Israel's military campaign against Gaza began on October 7, 136 Palestinians have been killed and 41 injured in Israeli airstrikes, with the vast majority of these casualties occurring in the northern governorates of the West Bank.

Amnesty International has condemned the Israeli military's actions, describing the escalation as a “horrifying spike in lethal force.” Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty's senior director for research, advocacy, policy, and campaigns, warned that the operations are likely to lead to increased forced displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure, and collective punishment—key elements of what Amnesty terms Israel's system of apartheid against Palestinians.

In line with these concerns, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz suggested on Wednesday the possibility of further displacements. In a post on social media platform X, Katz mentioned that addressing the threat of "terror infrastructures" in refugee camps like Jenin and Tulkarem could necessitate "intense combat" and, in some cases, the temporary evacuation of civilians from one neighborhood to another within the camp.

Temporary evacuation orders have been a recurring strategy in Gaza, often resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of people to so-called “humanitarian safe zones,” which have subsequently been targeted by Israeli military actions.

Palestinian human rights organizations, including the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Al-Haq, and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, issued a warning on Thursday. They highlighted that Israeli tactics in the West Bank mirror those employed in what they describe as Israel's "genocidal campaign" in Gaza.

The situation remains fluid, with further developments expected as the Israeli military continues its operations across the occupied West Bank, amid growing international calls for restraint and respect for human rights.