Israel launches major West Bank military operation, kills at least 10 militants

ISRAEL LAUNCHED A MAJOR MILITARY OPERATION ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCCUPIED WEST BANK – IN TERRITORIES WHERE HAMAS MILITANTS HAVE A STRONGHOLD.

IN A POST ON X — THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAID — IT KILLED AT LEAST FIVE MILITANTS AND APPREHENDED WANTED SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN A COUNTER-TERROR INITIATIVE.

ACCORDING TO THE AP, HAMAS ANNOUNCED 10 OF ITS FIGHTERS WERE KILLED IN THE WEST BANK WEDNESDAY.

THE IDF CONDUCTED AIRSTRIKES AND SEALED OFF THE CITY OF JENIN AND CONFIRMED IT CARRIED OUT THE RAIDS AS A LARGE COUNTER-TERROR INITIATIVE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ISRAELI SECURITY AGENCY.

THE GOVERNOR OF JENIN SAID THE IDF WAS BLOCKING ACCESS ROADS TO HOSPITALS AND BLOCKING EXIT AND ENTRY POINTS INTO AND OUT OF THE CITY – WHILE DESTROYING INFRASTRUCTURE. 

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE IDF SAID THEY WERE PREVENTING HAMAS MILITANTS FROM USING THE HOSPITAL AS A FORM OF SHELTER.

ISRAEL SAYS ITS IN THE FIRST STAGES OF THIS OPERATION – WITH A MISSION TO CRUSH HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD GROUPS TO PREVENT FURTHER ATTACKS ON ISRAEL. 

THE IDF AND PALESTINIAN MILITANTS HAVE ESCALATAED THEIR DEADLY BATTLES IN THE WEST BANK – SINCE HAMAS’ OCTOBER 2023 TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL THAT LEFT 12-HUNDRED DEAD.

UN HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR REVEALS THAT OVER 1,400 STRUCTURES ACROSS THE WEST BANK HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED OR CONFISCATED BY ISRAELI FORCES, FURTHER DESTABILIZING PALESTINIAN COMMUNITIES.  

THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE WEST BANK, WITH PALESTINIAN HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORTING OVER 600 PALESTINIAN FATALITIES SINCE THE CONFLICT STARTED LAST OCTOBER.

AND THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IS RAPIDLY DETERIORATING.  

AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR ENTERS ITS TENTH MONTH, DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS HAVE INTENSIFIED WITH CEASEFIRE TALKS SHIFTING FROM CAIRO TO DOHA.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS LED BY THE U.S., QATAR, AND EGYPT CONTINUE TO BROKER A COMPREHENSIVE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT, AIMING TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF HOSTAGES, FACILITATE THE RETURN OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS, AND INCREASE HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA.

THE SITUATION IN GAZA REMAINS DIRE, WITH 90% OF THE POPULATION DISPLACED AND FACING WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION – WHILE HAMAS IS STILL HOLDING ONTO MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES — WITH A  THIRD BELIEVED TO BE DEAD.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.