The Palestinian Health Ministry put the death toll at nine as of Thursday afternoon. Seven of those killed belonged to militant groups, another two – including an elderly woman – were civilians, Portal reported, citing Palestinian officials. At least 20 people were injured, he said. It was one of the deadliest military operations in the West Bank in recent years.
The attack took place in the Jenin refugee camp. Israeli media reported that a special unit used a refrigerated dairy truck to reach the scene. They received support from other units that came to the camp in the normal way.
Army: Under fire when trapped
The Israeli military said the forces came under fire as they tried to arrest several members of the Palestinian militant organization Islamic Jihad. Three armed suspects were shot, according to the army. Another four were arrested. The cell is suspected of planning a terrorist attack. Reports of further deaths will be examined, he said.
AP/Majdi Mohammed An Israeli army armored vehicle in Jenin
Palestinian extremist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have spoken of a fight with the Israeli military. Its members were fighting Israeli soldiers who had entered the Jenin refugee camp, sources said. At the entrances to the camp’s narrow streets, youths were throwing stones at Israeli army vehicles. Occasional gunfire and explosions were also heard.
According to Israeli media, daytime operations like the one in Jenin are unusual for the Israeli army. According to the newspaper “Jediot Achronot”, the implementation time indicated greater urgency. “Without a doubt, the cell we knocked down this morning can be described as a ‘ticking time bomb,'” an unnamed Israeli official told the newspaper.
Palestinian minister accuses army
In a separate statement, Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said the Israeli army had stormed a hospital in Jenin “and deliberately fired tear gas canisters into the hospital’s children’s ward”. She described the situation in the refugee camp as “critical” and said Israeli forces were preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded.
The army denied the allegations to the AFP news agency on Thursday. “No one intentionally fired tear gas at a hospital,” a spokesman said. “But the surgery wasn’t far from the hospital and it’s possible some tear gas got in through an open window.”
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtaye expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and called on the international community to “urgently intervene to protect the Palestinian people and end the bloodshed of children, youth and women”.
Call for a general strike in the West Bank
Israeli media reported, citing political circles in Jerusalem, that after the operation one had to be prepared for a possible escalation with Palestinian militant groups. According to Portal, envoys from the UN and Arab states are currently negotiating with the Israeli and Palestinian sides to avoid further violence.
A general strike was called in the West Bank on Thursday. According to the Israeli daily Haaretz (online edition), the Israeli army is preparing to launch rockets from Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.