Israeli Forces Withdraw from Jenin After Major West Bank Operation

Israeli forces appeared to have pulled out of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Friday after over a week of military operations that left significant casualties and destruction. Overnight, Israeli armored vehicles were seen leaving the camp through a checkpoint, and by early Friday morning, an Associated Press reporter inside found no sign of remaining Israeli troops.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the withdrawal but indicated a statement would be released later. It remains unclear whether the withdrawal is permanent or a temporary regrouping.

For over a week, hundreds of Israeli soldiers were involved in what the United Nations described as a highly lethal military operation in the West Bank, the deadliest since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The operation primarily targeted the Jenin refugee camp, known for its ties to Palestinian militancy, which has escalated since Hamas’ attack on Israel 11 months ago.

Fighting in Jenin alone has resulted in 21 of the 39 Palestinian deaths reported by local health officials in the West Bank, most of whom, according to the Israeli military, were militants. The conflict has severely affected civilians in Jenin, with water and electricity cut off, families confined to their homes, and ambulances delayed by Israeli searches for militants.

On Friday morning, as the fighting paused, residents of Jenin surveyed the damage, with destroyed buildings, twisted rebar, and walls riddled with bullet holes.

During the operation, Israeli forces also targeted militants in Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp in an effort to counter recent, more sophisticated attacks on Israeli civilians. It was unclear whether Israeli troops were also being pulled from those locations.

The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Hamas still holds over 100 hostages, with Israeli authorities estimating that about a third of them have died. In response, Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Amid international pressure, particularly from the U.S., for a cease-fire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on maintaining control over the Philadelphi corridor, a strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Israel claims is a key smuggling route for Hamas weapons. Egypt and Hamas deny these claims. Hamas has accused Israel of prolonging negotiations by introducing new demands, including control over the Philadelphi corridor and another corridor running across Gaza.

Hamas has proposed releasing all hostages in exchange for an end to the war, Israeli withdrawal, and the release of numerous Palestinian prisoners, including key militants. This aligns with the framework proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden in July.