Confrontations mount in Jenin with nine martyred, dozens wounded
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The Palestinian Resistance is fiercely fighting the Israeli occupation forces invading Jenin as part of the latest Israeli military operation, which has thus far killed nearly a dozen and wounded scores of others.
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Medics evacuate a wounded man during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, Tuesday, January 21, 2025. (AP)
Palestinian Resistance forces in Jenin continue to confront Israeli occupation forces amid an unprecedented military assault on the city and its refugee camp. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - Jenin reported that their fighters are engaging in intense armed clashes with the Israeli forces, employing heavy gunfire and explosive devices.
Field reports indicate that a Palestinian explosive device targeted an Israeli armored personnel carrier in Jenin, leading to injuries among the soldiers. An Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the Israeli military is working to evacuate its wounded from the site of the explosion.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday evening that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression in Jenin has risen to nine, with approximately 40 others injured.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed that its teams transported one martyr from the Harat al-Damaj neighborhood in Jenin camp, alongside another individual wounded by live fire.
Among the martyrs of the Israeli operation identified by medical sources are Motaz Abu Tabeekh, Raed Abu Saba, Ahmed Shayeb, Ameen Zawayda Salahat, Khalil al-Saadi, and Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi.
Israeli forces have escalated their assault on Jenin, including surrounding a house in the village of Ta’anak, northwest of the city, and conducting aerial bombardments on the Harat al-Safouri neighborhood in the camp. Reports suggest that the Israeli occupation forces deployed additional reinforcements to Jenin, with bulldozers destroying infrastructure and roads across the city.
'Israel' storms Jenin
Earlier in the day, Israeli forces stormed Jenin and its camp, accompanied by military bulldozers and drones. Drone strikes targeted a vacant vehicle near al-Zahra School in the camp’s vicinity, while Apache helicopters fired rounds into the airspace over the area.
The occupation forces also launched dense smoke bombs inside Jenin camp, sealed off its entrances, and seized a house, converting it into a military post in the Khalet al-Souha area. Streets in Jabal Abu Thahir were bulldozed as additional military reinforcements surrounded the camp.
The Israeli military announced its campaign on Jenin and its camp amidst threats from Israeli ministers to escalate tensions across the West Bank.
Since Monday, occupation forces have installed iron gates at the entrances of towns and villages across the West Bank, intensifying a blockade that isolates entire regions and restricts the movement of Palestinians, effectively imposing collective punishment.
In addition to the assault on Jenin, Israeli forces stormed the village of Deir Istiya, northwest of Salfit, and the Shuafat refugee camp, north of occupied al-Quds, as part of their broader campaign against the Palestinian territories.
'Full-scale invasion'
Jenin Governor Kamel Abu Roub described the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Jenin and its refugee camp as a full-scale invasion, speaking to AFP on Monday.
Meanwhile, Moayad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Authority's Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, stated, "It is evident that the Israeli government is conducting a coordinated campaign to bolster settlers in the West Bank, especially after tensions in Gaza subsided."
Political analyst and writer Jihad Harb interpreted the events in Jenin as "a political maneuver aimed at appeasing far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich and the extreme right to preserve the government coalition following their discontent with the ceasefire agreement in Gaza."
The Israeli military has announced the start of a new military campaign in the West Bank city of Jenin, which it dubbed the "Iron Wall".
Israeli media reported that the campaign was executed by order of the political echelon, following a Cabinet meeting last Friday, which added the West Bank to the goals of the ongoing war.
Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz said the military operation in Jenin was "prepared to protect settlers and settlement outposts in the area," while an Israeli security source told Israeli media that "the operation in Jenin will be unprecedented in its size and scope."
Israeli media further noted that the Israeli military, Shin Bet, and "Border Guards" began an operation meant to "foil terrorism" in Jenin, which will continue for the coming days, asserting that a large IOF force has advanced on Jenin from all directions after the Shin Bet disrupted internet communications throughout the Jenin Refugee Camp.
'Resistance will prevail in Jenin'
Palestinian factions have condemned the Israeli military operation, dubbed "Iron Wall," in Jenin. Hamas declared that the military campaign would fail, as all previous operations against the resilient Palestinian people and their steadfast resistance had.
In a statement, Hamas called for a general mobilization and urged Palestinians to confront the Israeli assault. It criticized the Palestinian Authority's withdrawal from the vicinity of Jenin camp at the start of the military operation, following a 48-day siege of the camp. The group also accused the PA of obstructing agreements with Resistance fighters and ignoring national calls to halt its actions against activists.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) described the "Iron Wall" operation as "part of the genocidal campaign waged by the Zionist entity against the Palestinian people." The group emphasized that the attack reflected the occupation's desperation following its failure to achieve its goals in Gaza. It also accused the Israeli occupation of attempting to disrupt the joy of Palestinians over the recent release of detainees, using the aggression on Jenin as a political distraction to stabilize its faltering government coalition.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) called for an escalation of resistance in response to the occupation's crimes, emphasizing that the Palestinian people possess the experience and resilience to thwart Israeli plans. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) echoed these sentiments, asserting that the ongoing aggression and tightened blockades in the West Bank would not weaken the growing resistance, particularly in its northern areas.
The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement stated that the assault on Jenin reflected the occupation's frustration over its inability to suppress the resistance in Gaza. It emphasized that the attack was a form of retaliation against Palestinians celebrating the release of detainees and a testament to the occupation's failure to achieve its objectives.
Palestinian factions, including Hamas, the PIJ, the PFLP, and others, vowed to continue the struggle against Israeli aggression. "The enemy's illusions and its so-called 'Iron Wall' will shatter in Jenin, just as its iron swords were broken in Gaza," a statement from the Resistance Committees read. "Jenin will remain a bastion of heroism and resistance, unyielding in the face of aggression."
The factions reiterated their commitment to resist the occupation through all means, emphasizing that the escalating attacks would only strengthen their resolve. They called on the Palestinian people to stand united and confront the occupation's actions, which they described as barbaric and fascist attempts to suppress a defiant and enduring resistance.
