Ramallah, Sep 7 (IANS) Israeli forces have withdrawn from the West Bank city of Jenin after a 10-day operation that claimed 21 lives, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.
However, according to Israel, the operation is not over yet. They will return to Jenin and other places soon.
Palestinian security sources said on Friday that during the operation, Israeli forces inflicted significant damage to infrastructure and residential buildings, cutting off power, communications and the internet to large areas of the city.
According to preliminary damage assessment, the Palestinian Civil Defence announced that more than 25 km of roads in Jenin city and its camp were completely destroyed by the army operation, reports news agency Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the army wiped out “terrorists” during the operation, arresting more than 40 suspects, confiscating 24 weapons and destroying dozens of explosive devices.
However, Israeli security sources told the broadcaster that the operation was not over, and “we will return to Jenin and other places soon.
On Thursday, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry said 39 Palestinians had been killed and nearly 150 others wounded in the West Bank since the Israeli military operation began on August 28.
Israeli military officials said militants were targeted in Jenin, Tulkarem and the al-Far’a refugee camp in the operation, which is expected to be the largest Israeli operation in the West Bank since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
The state-run Palestine News Agency, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry, said 21 Palestinians were killed in the attack, which also caused extensive damage to the city of Jenin.
The IDF on Friday posted on social media platform X saying it had carried out an overnight counterterrorism operation in the West Bank, killing Muhammad Zakaria Zubeidi, the son of jailed prominent militant Zakaria Zubeidi, the Jenin head of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
Jenin, originally a refugee camp built after the creation of Israel in 1948 to house Palestinians who fled their homes during the war, has seen its water and electricity services cut following the raid.
—IANS
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