Israeli army accused of 'destroying all Palestinian symbols' in West Bank refugee camps
Since the start of the war with Hamas on October 7, the Israeli army has stepped up its raids on the occupied West Bank, particularly in the Tulkarem and Jenin refugee camps, which Palestinians see as bastions of resistance.
On the night of November 16, the Israeli army carried out its fourth raid on the Jenin camp since the start of the war. Israeli soldiers entered the camp with military vehicles and bulldozers, which they said were to protect them from explosives. The camp was also bombed several times.
Clashes broke out between the soldiers and Palestinian armed groups.
On the morning of November 17, the Israeli army announced that it had withdrawn from the camp after killing "five terrorists". The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported "three dead and 15 injured, four of whom are in a critical condition". In Jenin, Hamas confirmed the death of three of its fighters "in the battle of Al-Aqsa Flood in Jenin".
The Jenin Brigade is the main group of combatants in the camp. Its members are affiliated with other Palestinian factions, including the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad.
Jenin is one of the most important bastions of Palestinian nationalism and resistance in the West Bank. The camp has been subjected to regular raids by the Israeli army since January 2023.
Along with Jenin, the Tulkarm refugee camp, situated in the northern region of the occupied West Bank, is one of the areas most affected by Israeli military violence. On November 14, a similar raid conducted by the Israeli army resulted in the deaths of seven Palestinians.
