Israel's Military Offensive in Occupied West Bank Enters Third Day

The Israeli military's extensive operation in the occupied West Bank has continued into its third day, leaving a trail of destruction and escalating tensions. The offensive, which includes the deployment of bulldozers and the use of live ammunition and tear gas, has resulted in significant damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of life.

At least three individuals were killed early on Friday after Israeli forces attacked a car in the village of Zababdeh, south of Jenin. The Israeli military reported that one of its aircraft had "attacked a terrorist squad" following an "encounter with security forces." Footage from the aftermath showed a car engulfed in flames.

The Jenin Battalion of al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, stated that its fighters engaged in "fierce clashes" with Israeli soldiers in Jenin. Among those killed, according to the Israeli army, was Wissam Ayman Hazem, the head of Hamas in Jenin. Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, confirmed his death.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that Israeli forces prevented ambulances from reaching the scene of the attack, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Israeli forces withdrew on Thursday night from the city of Tulkarem and its two refugee camps after a 48-hour operation that resulted in the deaths of four people and widespread destruction of civilian property and infrastructure. Reporting from the Nur Shams refugee camp, Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim noted that Palestinian Civil Defence teams were attempting to repair some of the damage from the Israeli raid, with destroyed roads complicating movement.

"If Palestinians fix one water line here, one electricity line there, the Israeli forces might be back very soon to ruin them again," she said, adding that, "Palestinians say Israel wants to make sure their lives, particularly in the refugee camps, get more complicated, giving them no option but to leave."

Israeli forces also withdrew from the Far’a refugee camp south of Tubas, where four people were killed and civilian property and infrastructure were destroyed.

The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the agency had to suspend services to communities in several camps in the West Bank due to the Israeli assault.

While Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas—all towns in the north of the West Bank—have witnessed the worst violence, Israeli forces have targeted other locations as well. These include Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp, Anabta town east of Tulkarem, Husan village west of Bethlehem, and areas in the Hebron governorate.

The Israeli military made at least five arrests near Hebron and Ramallah, Wafa reported on Friday.

Palestinian health officials and rights groups say at least 20 people, including children, have been killed since the Israeli incursion started on Wednesday. The Israeli army claims it has killed 12 Palestinian fighters.

The Israeli military asserts that it is targeting members of armed groups, with Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters trading attacks in several locations. Residents, however, say Israeli soldiers are deliberately attacking refugee camps while also destroying roads and infrastructure. Some fear the long-term strategy is to push Palestinians out of their homes.

"The Israelis are creating an environment that pushes people out, destroying infrastructure almost completely, and cutting electricity and water—they want to leave people with nothing so that they would ultimately have no option but to leave on their own," activist Hussein al-Sheikh Ali told Al Jazeera in Tulkarem.

However, Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim also noted, "People talk about defiance a lot. They say they know Israeli forces want to make their life more difficult … and that’s exactly why they’re here to stay."

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz called on Wednesday for the "temporary evacuation" of Palestinians from the West Bank to fight armed groups there—a statement that activists warn could pave the way for the territory to follow a similar fate to Gaza in terms of enormous destruction and displacement.

The ongoing military operations in the occupied West Bank have drawn global condemnation, with the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, urging the 27 member states to back measures against those accused of fomenting 'hatred' towards Palestinians. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further escalation as the Israeli military continues its operations