Israeli forces withdrew from three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank after a weeklong military operation targeting militants in an attempt to curb attacks against Israeli civilians. The camps included Jenin, Tulkarem, and Al-Faraa. The operation, the deadliest in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began, resulted in 39 Palestinian deaths, most of whom were militants. The Jenin refugee camp was the main focus of the operation, where infrastructure damage and other devastation were reported, affecting the civilian population.
Palestinian civilians in Jenin faced water and electricity cuts, were confined to their homes, and ambulances evacuating wounded individuals were delayed due to the military presence. Israeli forces used bulldozers to search for buried explosives in the camp, resulting in infrastructure damage. The destruction was attributed to a militant strategy of planting explosives in civilian areas. However, residents of Jenin were seen rummaging through the rubble of destroyed buildings and assessing the damage in the aftermath of the military operation.
In a separate development in southern Gaza, health workers resumed vaccinating children against polio as part of a large-scale immunization campaign. The campaign was initiated to prevent a large-scale polio outbreak after the first reported case in 25 years. The WHO reached an agreement with Israel for limited pauses in the fighting to allow for the vaccination campaign. The goal is to vaccinate 640,000 Palestinian children in Gaza against polio.
The war in Gaza started with a surprise attack by Hamas and other militants on Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians. Israeli authorities estimate that more than 100 hostages are still being held, with about a third believed to be dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 94,000 individuals. Pressure has been mounting on Israel to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on continued Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor as a major sticking point in negotiations.
Hamas has accused Israel of prolonging negotiations by introducing new demands, including control over Philadelphi corridor and a second corridor across Gaza. Hamas has offered to release all hostages in exchange for an end to the war, full Israeli withdrawal, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. The terms align with an outline for a deal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden in July. The conflict continues to escalate, with ongoing military operations and demands on both sides contributing to the complexity of reaching a resolution.
