Israeli forces have continued their raids in the occupied West Bank for a second consecutive day, prompting calls for de-escalation from the United Nations. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described their actions as part of a “counter-terrorism operation” that began on Wednesday. By Thursday, the IDF reported that 12 individuals had been killed in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, and an additional four in Far’a. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that 16 people had lost their lives since the beginning of the operation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli raids, urging an immediate halt to the operations. Guterres stated that the actions were “fuelling an already explosive situation” and called on Israeli forces to “exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable.”
The IDF reported that five individuals were killed in Tulkarm after “exchanges of fire” with militants who had taken refuge inside a mosque. Seven more deaths occurred in Jenin. Among those killed was Mohammed Jaber, also known as Abu Shujaa, identified by the Israeli military as the local leader of the Tulkarem Brigade, which has links to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group. According to the IDF, Jaber was involved in several attacks against Israelis and was allegedly planning further operations.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the Tulkarm Brigade claimed responsibility for ambushing an Israeli infantry unit, citing the attack as retaliation for the assassination of their commander, although they did not specify his name. The IDF further reported that during their raids in Tulkarm and Jenin, they apprehended 10 wanted suspects and seized explosives and weapons.
In Far’a, Israeli forces stated they had killed four armed militants inside a vehicle. The Palestinian Mission to the United Nations denounced the raids in a letter on Thursday, accusing the Israeli military of “invading homes, deliberately targeting civilians, destroying vital infrastructure, and even besieging the four main hospitals in the area.”
In response to the Palestinian Mission’s allegations, the IDF pointed to earlier statements, emphasizing that their operations targeted armed militants, some of whom were linked to prior attacks. In Jenin, military jeeps blocked access to the refugee camp, stopping and inspecting ambulances around the government hospital. The refugee camp, a known base for armed groups, has historically been the site of intense gun battles. Israeli forces have restricted access to the camp, and disruptions to Palestinian phone networks have been reported.
This marks the second day of what Israeli media speculate could be an extended operation in the West Bank, possibly lasting several days. The current actions are considered among the largest in the West Bank since the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, over two decades ago. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, defended the military actions, stating that the operation’s “clear goal” is to prevent attacks by Iranian-backed groups that could harm Israeli civilians.
Recent accusations by Israeli politicians suggest that Iran, which supports both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has attempted to smuggle explosive devices into the region with the intent to carry out attacks against Israel. Ambassador Danon emphasized Israel’s position, stating, “Israel cannot sit idly by and wait for the spectacle of buses and cafes exploding in city centres,” in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The violence in the West Bank has escalated significantly following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent conflict in Gaza. Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, cautioned that Israel’s ongoing operation in the West Bank “must not constitute the premises of a war extension from Gaza.” Borrell has initiated discussions with EU member states about the potential imposition of sanctions on unnamed Israeli ministers, accusing them of “launching unacceptable hate messages against the Palestinians and proposing things that clearly go against international law.”
The situation in the West Bank continues to evolve, the international community remains on high alert, closely monitoring the developments and urging both sides to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.
