By James Myers, OAN Staff
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 7:33 AM
Israel launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, with troops killing at least nine Palestinians and blockading the vulnerable city of Jenin, Palestinian officials said.
advertisement
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz said the operation was part of a “full-scale war” and compared the situation to that of the Gaza Strip, saying Israeli forces must implement similar measures as are being taken in the West Bank.
It is considered the largest raid Israel has carried out in the West Bank in at least two decades, since Israeli authorities said “Operation Defensive Shield” was carried out during the Second Intifada.
Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said all nine killed were terrorists, three of them killed in the Tulkarem airstrike and four in the Al-Falaa airstrike.
He added that five more terrorism suspects had been arrested and that the raid was the first phase of a much larger operation aimed at preventing attacks on Israeli civilians.
Palestinian terrorist groups said they were exchanging gunfire with Israeli forces. Jenin's governor, Kamal Abu al-Rubb, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city and blocked access to the hospital and entrances.
Meanwhile, more than 650 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in just over 10 months since the war in Gaza began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israel says the operation is necessary to dismantle Hamas and other terrorist groups to prevent attacks on Israelis.
Israeli authorities announced that a number of “wanted suspects” had also been arrested, along with a number of weapons.
The statement said Israeli forces “discovered and defused explosives planted under a road in the area and intended to be detonated in an attack on security forces operating in the area.”
The war broke out on October 7th.NumberIn 2016, Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, attacking military bases, farm villages, and the outdoor music festival Supernova Sukkot Gathering, leaving 1,200 people dead and nearly 250 taken prisoner.
Currently, Hamas is still holding around 110 hostages, a third of whom are believed to be dead, although most of the rest were released during a ceasefire in November.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to broker a ceasefire that would lead to the release of the remaining hostages.
But negotiations remain stalled, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly declaring “total victory” over Hamas, while the terror group is said to be seeking a permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal from the territory.
Stay up to date! Receive the latest news directly in your email for free. Sign up here: https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisement below
Please share this post!
