Israeli Occupation offensive in West Bank leaves dozens dead, injured; including Tulkarm commander

Palestine

Published: 2024-08-29 09:40

Last Updated: 2024-08-29 09:41


Israeli Occupation soldiers arrest two Palestinian men during a raid in the Nur Shams camp (Photo: AFP)
Israeli Occupation soldiers arrest two Palestinian men during a raid in the Nur Shams camp (Photo: AFP)

Early Thursday morning, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) intensified their military operations across the northern West Bank, targeting multiple Palestinian refugee camps and cities.

The coordinated assaults, which have now entered their second day, have led to significant loss of life, injuries, and widespread destruction.

The Nur Shams refugee camp, located east of Tulkarm, has been at the center of this large-scale offensive.

The IOF demolished numerous homes within the camp, causing extensive damage as they conducted widespread raids.

This assault on Nur Shams is part of a broader military campaign that began early Wednesday morning, targeting the cities and camps of Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm.

Simultaneously, the IOF stormed the Tulkarm refugee camp on Thursday morning, exacerbating the ongoing violence in the area.

The situation escalated further as five Palestinians, including Mohammed Jaber, also known as Abu Shuja'a, the commander of the Tulkarm Brigade, were killed in a targeted assassination by the IOF.

According to an IOF statement, these resistance fighters were besieged in a building before being killed.

During the same clash in the Nur Shams camp, an IOF soldier was reported wounded.

The offensive has not been confined to Tulkarm and Nur Shams. In the Al-Arroub refugee camp north of Hebron, the IOF imposed a strict siege, deploying snipers on rooftops and setting up military checkpoints.

The IOF launched an attack on a home within the camp, firing ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenade that ignited a fire.

The IOF fired indiscriminately at anything that moved, particularly in the Hanoun Square neighborhood, while continuing to deploy military vehicles throughout the streets of the city.

They also imposed a blockade on Martyr Dr. Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital and Al-Israa Speciality Hospital.

Meanwhile, after a prolonged 30-hour assault, the IOF withdrew from the Al-Far’a camp in Tubas on Thursday morning.

This withdrawal follows intense IOF operations that mirrored the tactics used in other parts of the West Bank, involving helicopters, drones, and a large contingent of military vehicles, including bulldozers.

Despite the withdrawal, the impact of the assault was profound, leaving behind a trail of destruction and human suffering.

Across Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, the IOF imposed stringent blockades, effectively trapping residents and obstructing ambulance services from reaching the injured.

This ongoing aggression in the northern West Bank is one of the most severe escalations in recent times, with Hebrew media stating that this operation is the most extensive of its kind in the region since 2002.

Due to the severe siege, the extent of casualties remains unclear as ambulances were barred from entering the camp.

However, the initial wave of attacks has so far resulted in the deaths of 12 Palestinians, injuries to 26 others, and the arrest of at least 30 individuals.

The operation also caused considerable destruction to infrastructure across the region.