JENIN – Palestinian fighters paraded through the streets of Jenin on Wednesday as enraged crowds confronted senior Palestinian Authority officials, accusing them of weakness in the aftermath of one of the largest Israeli military operations witnessed in the occupied West Bank in years.
The two-day operation, claimed by the Israeli military to target infrastructure and weapons depots of militant factions in the Jenin refugee camp, resulted in widespread destruction and sparked outrage across the Arab world. Streets were left in ruins, cars were burned, and the death toll reached 12 Palestinians, with around 100 others wounded. One Israeli soldier also lost his life during the incursion.
Mohammad Mansour, a resident of the camp, described the harrowing experience of living through the operation: “We stayed inside the house, but then they cut off the electricity then the water. We ended up running out of bread and supplies… I’ve never been through such days.”
During a funeral held for 10 of the deceased, thousands of mourners, including dozens of gunmen, confronted three senior Palestinian Authority leaders, forcefully demanding their departure with chants of “Get out! Get out!” Tear gas was used by guards to disperse the crowds and protect the officials as they left.
The Palestinian Authority, which exercises nominal governance over parts of the West Bank, protested against the Israeli operation, condemning it as a war crime. However, it was unable to prevent the incursion from taking place.
Following the Israeli forces’ withdrawal on Tuesday evening, leaders of Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad and other factions claimed victory. Residents returning to the camp displayed a defiant spirit, with Mutasem Estatia, a father of six, stating, “They did not get what they wanted, thank God. The youths are fine, the families are fine, and the camp is fine. There are 12 martyrs, and we are proud of them, but we expected more damage.”
Israeli forces reported the detention of 150 suspected militants, seizure of large caches of weapons, money, and roadside mines, including an arsenal discovered under a mosque. The army also revealed the destruction of a command center. Islamic Jihad claimed eight of the detained individuals as members, with Hamas claiming another.
As Israeli troops withdrew overnight, a volley of rockets was launched from the Gaza Strip, another Palestinian territory controlled by Hamas. The rockets were successfully intercepted, and Israel’s air force retaliated by striking targets in Gaza, causing no casualties.
Further violence stemming from the Jenin situation occurred in Tel Aviv, where an alleged Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians and carried out a stabbing spree, injuring eight people before being shot dead. Hamas later claimed responsibility for the attacker.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that the Jenin operation was unlikely to be a one-time occurrence, suggesting it marked the beginning of regular incursions and continuous control of the territory. Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Al Quds Brigades warned that every street and alley would soon become a battlefield.
The size of the Israeli operation, considered one of the largest in the past 20 years, highlights the increasing strength of militant groups in Jenin, where nearly half of the population is believed to be affiliated with Islamic Jihad or Hamas, according to Israeli estimates.
Footage circulating on social media showed hundreds of individuals throwing rocks at the wall of the Palestinian Authority governor’s office in the early hours of the morning, underscoring the frustration of the local population. Palestinian Authority officials argue that Israel’s deliberate undermining of their authority and obstruction of efforts to establish a foundation for a future Palestinian state in the West Bank render it impossible for them to exert control.
The aftermath of the Israeli military operation in Jenin continues to fuel tension and unrest, heightening concerns over the future stability of the region. With both Palestinian fighters and local residents defiant in the face of the Israeli incursion, the situation remains volatile.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a former army general, reflected on the scale of the operation, stating, “War rooms, explosive devices, planting powerful but primitive mines based on solar water heaters or similar objects — these are things we faced 20 years ago in Gaza.”
While the immediate focus is on the aftermath of the military operation, the underlying issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict persist. The clashes in Jenin have reignited debates on the control and authority of the Palestinian Authority, as well as the broader question of Israeli settlements and occupation in the West Bank.
As tensions continue to simmer, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, with calls for de-escalation and renewed efforts to find a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
