Israeli Troops Withdraw from West Bank Refugee Camps After Deadly Operation
Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three key refugee camps in the occupied West Bank by Friday morning, marking the conclusion of a more than weeklong military operation that left behind destruction and a rising death toll. The Jenin, Tulkarem, and Al-Faraa camps were all sites of intense fighting as Israeli troops targeted militants, an effort the military said was aimed at curbing increasingly sophisticated and deadly attacks against both Israeli civilians and military personnel.
Withdrawal from Jenin
Overnight, Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen exiting the Jenin refugee camp, once a significant battleground during the operation. By early Friday, an Associated Press reporter confirmed no sign of Israeli troops remaining in the camp, signaling a pause in active combat. The focus on Jenin was mainly due to its role as a stronghold of Palestinian militancy, which has intensified since the start of the Israel-Hamas war nearly a year ago. Of the 39 Palestinians killed during the Israeli push into the West Bank, 21 died in Jenin, according to local health officials. Israeli forces claim most of those killed were militants.
Destruction and Civilian Impact
The operation inflicted significant damage on civilian infrastructure, with roads torn up, homes destroyed, and schools and hospitals damaged as Israeli forces searched for buried explosives. Water and electricity were cut off in several areas, compounding the suffering of civilians already trapped by the violence. Residents in Jenin, like those in Tulkarem and Al-Faraa, took advantage of a lull in fighting to assess the damage, discovering bullet-pocked walls and buildings reduced to rubble. Ziad Abu Tahoun, a resident of Tulkarem, lamented the destruction, stating, “They’ve set us back 60 years.”
Humanitarian Challenges and Vaccination Efforts in Gaza
Meanwhile, health workers resumed a critical vaccination campaign against polio in southern Gaza. The effort is part of a large-scale operation by local health crews, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO), aiming to immunize 640,000 Palestinian children. The vaccination campaign was made possible through an agreement between the WHO and Israel for limited pauses in fighting to ensure the vaccinations could proceed safely.
Gaza Conflict and Diplomatic Stalemate
The conflict, sparked by a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants in October, has resulted in more than 40,000 Palestinian deaths, with over 94,000 injured, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Despite international pressure, including from the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls for a ceasefire, insisting on continued Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor, a strategic area along Gaza’s border with Egypt that is crucial for preventing weapons smuggling.
Negotiations for a ceasefire remain stalled, with Hamas offering to release all hostages in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, new demands from Israel, including control over key corridors in Gaza, have complicated the talks.