The Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale air and ground military operation in the Jenin area of the northern West Bank in the early morning of the 3rd. The Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned and warned that this action would lead to "catastrophic consequences" and that the international community should immediately stop the Israeli action. By the end of the night, the clashes had killed eight Palestinians and injured more than 80, 17 of them seriously. Since the beginning of this year, Palestinian-Israeli tensions have intensified. Israeli forces have clashed with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, causing a large number of casualties.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in the Jenin area of the West Bank, the Israeli army carried out a raid on a militant stronghold.
Military operations in the West Bank
The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement on the same day, saying that Israel carried out large-scale attacks in the Jenin area, and since the early morning of the 3rd, it has carried out air strikes on the joint operation rooms, weapons and ammunition storage facilities and communication centers of Palestinian armed personnel, and found hundreds of explosive devices in many locations. The Times of Israel quoted Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hegeri as saying that the operation targeted local armed groups in Jenin, not the Palestinian National Authority, and did not aim to occupy the Jenin refugee camp. He called the operation a "brigade-level raid." Israeli military sources said more than 1,000 Israeli soldiers were involved in the operation. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that some of the weapons manufacturing facilities destroyed by the Israeli army "reached an industrial scale."
On July 3, 2023, local time, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale military operation in Jenin and nearby areas, and dispatched drone strikes on local Palestinian militants' gathering places and weapons warehouses.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in the West Bank, an Israeli military convoy carrying out a raid.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Jenin, West Bank, Israeli troops patrolled Muqambira.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Muqaibila in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army used a Black Hawk helicopter to evacuate a wounded soldier.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Gaza City, an Israeli tank stopped near the Palestinian-Israeli border.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Jenin, West Bank, Palestinian militants opened fire on Israeli armored vehicles.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Jenin, West Bank, local people threw stones at Israeli armored vehicles.
The refugee camp was damaged
According to Palestinian media reports, on the same day, the Israeli army sent a number of military vehicles into Jenin from different directions, and then surrounded the Jenin refugee camp and cut off the road from the camp to the outside of the city. Israeli troops fired live ammunition and tear gas, Palestinian armed men fired at Israeli troops, and civilians threw stones. Smoke was frequently seen over the Jenin area, with explosions and gunshots.
July 3, 2023, local time, Jenin, Palestine, Jenin refugee camp, a road after being bombed.
On July 3, 2023, local time, Jenin, West Bank, there was continuous artillery fire and thick smoke.
In addition to the loss of life, extensive damage to the camp's infrastructure, including damage to the water network, was caused. Water and electricity services have been disrupted in large areas of the camp, many of whom are in dire need of food, drinking water and powdered children's milk, while camp residents are unable to leave their homes.
On July 3, 2023, local time, residents evacuated the Jenin refugee camp during the Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Jenin, West Bank, people in refugee camps were evacuated during the Israeli military operation.
On July 3, 2023, local time, Jenin, West Bank, refugee camp residents were evacuated during Israel's military operations.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Jenin, West Bank, Palestinians injured in the conflict were taken to hospital for treatment.
Tensions escalated
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has heated up sharply, arousing strong concern in the international community. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced later on the 3rd that the Palestinian National Authority would stop "all contacts and meetings" with Israel. Abbas called on the leaders of all Palestinian factions to convene an emergency meeting to deal with the current situation and urged the international community to provide urgent protection to the Palestinian side.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas convened an emergency meeting of Palestinian political factions.
Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Jenin on the same day and called on the international community to take immediate and urgent action to end Israel's continuous attacks on Palestinian cities as soon as possible and protect the Palestinian people. He said Jordan would not accept such attacks and any unilateral action that undermined the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
On July 3, 2023, local time, in Gaza City, Palestinians participated in a solidarity demonstration to protest Israel's attack on Jenin.
The United Nations Special Envoy for the Middle East, Tor Vinnezlan, said on social media on the 3rd that the escalation of the situation was "very dangerous", saying that the operation once again reminded people that the situation in the West Bank is "extremely unstable and unpredictable." He called for the delivery of necessary medical and other material aid to the West Bank. The League of Arab States and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Iran and other countries issued a statement condemning Israel on the same day, urging Israel to immediately stop the current military action, end the cycle of violence as soon as possible, and avoid the situation from deteriorating continuously.
On July 3, 2023, local time, east of Gaza City, a Palestinian youth participated in a protest in front of the Palestinian-Israeli border fence during the Israeli military operation.
Jenin is the "powder keg" of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
Israel occupied the West Bank in the Third Middle East War in 1967. According to the Oslo Accords signed by Palestine and Israel in 1993, the West Bank is divided into three areas: A, B and C, of which Area A is controlled by the Palestinian side. The refugee camp of Jenin is located in Area A, which has been the "powder keg" of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for many years.
On 8 June 1967, when Jenin, Jordan, was transferred to Israeli-administered territory, the Israeli border police used loudspeakers to tell residents to stay at home.
On September 13, 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Rabin (left) and PLO Chairman Arafat shook hands in Washington, D.C., and signed the Oslo Accords on the same day. U.S. President Bill Clinton stood between the two.
In addition, with regard to the subsequent development of the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli region, special attention needs to be paid to the actions of armed groups such as the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad (Jihad).
On June 21, 2023, local time, Tehran, Iran, Ismail Haniyeh, senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), attended the meeting.
June 19, 2023, local time, Tehran, Iran, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (jihad) leader Ziad Nahara.
Source: Xinhua News Agency, CCTV News Client, United Nations, Visual China, The Paper