Israel Launches Largest Military Raid in West Bank Since Gaza Ceasefire
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers backed by armoured vehicles launched a massive military operation in the Palestinian town of Tubas near Nablus on Tuesday, imposing a curfew and forcing residents to evacuate their homes. The operation, which is expected to continue for several days, is the largest of its kind since Israel imposed a ceasefire in Gaza last month.
The Israeli military said it had launched a "counter-terrorism operation" in response to concerns that Tubas had become a hub for militant activity. Leaflets distributed by the military warned residents that failure to comply would result in severe consequences, echoing similar threats made against two northern West Bank cities, Jenin and Tulkarm, earlier this year.
The Gaza Strip has also seen renewed violence overnight, with reports of bombardment near the town of al-Bureij and a claim by Israel's military that it had killed six Hamas militants who emerged from a tunnel in Rafah. However, there is no independent confirmation of the claim, and a series of clashes have broken out in the Gaza Strip involving militants trapped in tunnels.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and widespread destruction, with nearly 70,000 Palestinians killed and 170,863 injured since the war began last October. A fragile ceasefire came into effect last month, but violence in the West Bank has continued to spike.
According to UN officials, Israeli troops or settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza. The UN attributes most of these fatalities to "the systematic and excessive use of lethal force by Israeli forces, often involving live fire, airstrikes and shoulder-fired missiles in densely populated areas".
Meanwhile, a report by Human Rights Watch claims that Israel's forced displacement of West Bank refugee camp populations amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The 32,000 people displaced have been barred from returning to their homes, many of which were deliberately demolished by Israeli forces.
The Israeli government's actions in the West Bank have faced international criticism, with some describing the military operations as disproportionate and excessive. The UN has called for an end to violence and a return to calm, but the situation on the ground remains fragile.
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers backed by armoured vehicles launched a massive military operation in the Palestinian town of Tubas near Nablus on Tuesday, imposing a curfew and forcing residents to evacuate their homes. The operation, which is expected to continue for several days, is the largest of its kind since Israel imposed a ceasefire in Gaza last month.
The Israeli military said it had launched a "counter-terrorism operation" in response to concerns that Tubas had become a hub for militant activity. Leaflets distributed by the military warned residents that failure to comply would result in severe consequences, echoing similar threats made against two northern West Bank cities, Jenin and Tulkarm, earlier this year.
The Gaza Strip has also seen renewed violence overnight, with reports of bombardment near the town of al-Bureij and a claim by Israel's military that it had killed six Hamas militants who emerged from a tunnel in Rafah. However, there is no independent confirmation of the claim, and a series of clashes have broken out in the Gaza Strip involving militants trapped in tunnels.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and widespread destruction, with nearly 70,000 Palestinians killed and 170,863 injured since the war began last October. A fragile ceasefire came into effect last month, but violence in the West Bank has continued to spike.
According to UN officials, Israeli troops or settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza. The UN attributes most of these fatalities to "the systematic and excessive use of lethal force by Israeli forces, often involving live fire, airstrikes and shoulder-fired missiles in densely populated areas".
Meanwhile, a report by Human Rights Watch claims that Israel's forced displacement of West Bank refugee camp populations amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The 32,000 people displaced have been barred from returning to their homes, many of which were deliberately demolished by Israeli forces.
The Israeli government's actions in the West Bank have faced international criticism, with some describing the military operations as disproportionate and excessive. The UN has called for an end to violence and a return to calm, but the situation on the ground remains fragile.
, can't believe what's happening in the Middle East right now... Israel launching this huge raid on Tubas, just because some militants are hiding there? Like, I get it, security is important, but do they really have to go around demolishing homes and forcing people to evacuate? 
And what about all those innocent civilians who get caught in the crossfire? The UN is saying that Israel's actions amount to war crimes... how can we even call this a 'counter-terrorism operation'? It just feels like more of the same, you know? 
what's really going on here? Israel says it's just a counter-terrorism op, but then you got these leaflets that sound like something out of a horror movie - "severe consequences" if you don't cooperate? 
and the Gaza Strip is getting all shook up again. I mean, 6 people killed in Rafah? 
that's not exactly proof, but at least some folks are looking into it.
Israel's got a pretty tough track record when it comes to the West Bank, and now there's all this talk about war crimes and stuff. It's like, what's the goal here? 
Maybe we need to take a step back and try to understand each other's perspectives... or at least, try to get some kind of calm in the midst of all this chaos 
.
just got word from a reliable source that there's more to this operation than meets the eye... supposedly, Israel is trying to push through a new set of annexation plans while keeping everyone distracted with this massive raid. I'm talking top-secret meetings between Netanyahu and his advisors, allegedly planning to start construction in Jenin and Tulkarm soon 
doesn't make sense that they'd launch such a big op just over a ceasefire... think it's all connected 
meanwhile human rights watch is saying its war crimes 
the fact checker will be keeping an eye on this one 
I mean, who wouldn't want to live in a town that's basically a war zone? It's not like they have better things to do than patrol their borders 24/7. And those leaflets distributed by the military? Classy move. Threatening people with "severe consequences" is just so... polite. 
. The fact that they're using armoured vehicles and imposing curfews just shows how aggressive they're being 
. And what's with all these leaflets warning residents of severe consequences? 
. I mean, we've had this fragile ceasefire for months now, but violence in the West Bank keeps spiking 
. And let's not forget the hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries in Gaza... it's just so senseless.
. We can't keep waiting for things to escalate or worse 
.
. And what's with all these checkpoints and curfews? It's like they're suffocating this place 
. We need some real leaders to step in and try to broker some peace here 
️. doesnt sound fun 
. 
, imagine a big puzzle w/ lots of pieces not fitting together 
. that's what west bank is right now - lots of conflict & no end in sight 
.
. We need to try and find ways to resolve conflicts peacefully and support those affected by violence 
.
just thinking about all these innocent ppl getting hurt in the middle of it all... 1k+ ppl killed in the West Bank since the Gaza war started is just too much 
it's hard not to think that every action has a reaction, and every reaction can lead to more chaos... 1,000 Palestinians already lost their lives in the West Bank, and it feels like the number is going up by the minute, with each passing day... 
. Those leaflets warning people to evacuate their homes? That's some serious intimidation tactics right there 
& what's up wit dis "counter-terrorism operation" label? sounds like a cover-up 2 me 