Several people have been killed as a result of the Israeli army’s raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian health services say at least 10 Palestinians were killed and 35 wounded in the raid, which began early Tuesday, lasted overnight and is expected to continue for several days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation, dubbed “Iron Wall”, was aimed at “eradicating terrorism” in the region.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said its first responders treated seven people wounded by live ammunition, adding that Israeli forces were blocking access to the area.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “greater restraint” from security forces and said he was “deeply concerned”.
Israeli NGO B’Tselem accused the Israeli government of using the Gaza ceasefire as “a pretext and opportunity to persecute Palestinians in the West Bank.”
“It doesn’t look like a ceasefire,” he said.
Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rab told AFP that the operation was an “attack on a refugee camp”.
“It came fast, Apache helicopters in the sky and Israeli military vehicles everywhere,” he added.
A Palestinian security forces spokesman said in a statement that Israeli forces “fired on civilians and security forces, injuring several civilians and several security personnel, one of whom is in critical condition”.
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bashara said there is always the possibility of an attack on Palestinians in the West Bank after the end of hostilities in Gaza.
He suggested that the raid also served to divert public attention following the resignation of Israeli military commanders in October 2023 after admitting their failure to protect Israel from a Hamas attack.
“I think the Netanyahu government is pulling back. Where does it pull back? In the West Bank. In Jenin. With various blockades and a massive assault on Jenin that will probably last for days, weeks – maybe longer.”
In recent months, the frequency and severity of fetal seizures have increased.
