July 2023 Jenin incursion

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July 2023 Jenin incursion
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Jenin RC - panoramio (2).jpg
View of the Jenin refugee camp in 2011
Date3–5 July 2023
Location
Jenin, West Bank
Result Israeli victory
  • Palestinian militants killed
  • Israeli forces tactically withdraw with minimal losses
Belligerents
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Flag placeholder.svg PIJ
Flag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg Hamas
Other militants
Commanders and leaders
Herzi Halevi Unknown
Units involved
Flag of the Israel Defense Forces.svg IDF Flag placeholder.svg Al-Quds Brigades
Flag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg Al-Qassam Brigades
Jenin Battalion
Strength
1,000 soldiers, per IDF [1]
Several armed drones
Air support		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
1 killed [2]

12–18, [3] including at least 8 PIJ militants and 1 Hamas militant [4] [5] [6]

100 wounded, 20 critically [7]
Other incursions

On 3 July 2023, the Israeli military conducted a major assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. The Israeli government stated that the goal of the operation, named Operation Home and Garden, was to target militants within the camp. [8]

The attack began in the early hours of 3 July and resulted in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, including at least 9 militants, [4] and injuries to 100 others. [3] [9] The military emphasized that the operation is "one in a series", limited to the refugee camp area in Jenin. [10] Up to 500 Palestinian families had to leave their homes due to the Israeli assault. [11]

The assault was the largest incursion and deployment of aerial force against militants in the West Bank in 20 years, since fighting during the Second Intifada. [9] [12] [13] Israeli military and political echelons expressed differing views about the scale and intent of the operation. [14] [10]

Background

Since the escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the spring of 2022, the Jenin camp and its neighboring town have remained a focal point of tension. Jenin has historically been a stronghold for armed resistance against Israel and was a significant source of friction during the Second Intifada.

Graffiti in the Jenin camp in 2011, which read "Not to forget" Jenin RC not to forget - panoramio.jpg
Graffiti in the Jenin camp in 2011, which read "Not to forget"

In 2023, the refugee camp was repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces. [15] The incursion took place amidst increasing violence in the West Bank, including another violent clash in Jenin two weeks prior, a rocket attack originating from the area, the first Israeli drone attack in the West Bank since 2006, and attacks by settlers on Palestinian villages. [16] Furthermore, there was growing domestic pressure to respond to a series of attacks on Israeli settlers, including a shooting in June that resulted in the deaths of four Israelis. Influential members within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government have also advocated for more extensive military retaliation to address the ongoing violence in the region. [12]

Attack

Israeli soldier during the operation p`ylvt hkvKHvt 02.jpeg
Israeli soldier during the operation

The attack began with drone strikes on what the IDF called "terrorist infrastructure" shortly after 1 A.M. The airstrikes were followed by the deployment of troops who remained inside the camp until midday. The fighting persisted for approximately 14 hours after the Israeli forces entered the camp. IDF spokesman Richard Hecht disclosed that around 2,000 soldiers, constituting a brigade-size force, participated in the operation. [12]

The military blocked roads, seized control of houses and buildings, and positioned snipers on rooftops. Military bulldozers were utilized to clear paths through narrow streets to facilitate the movement of Israeli forces, resulting in damage to buildings. [9] [12]

A weapons cache found in Jenin, according to the IDF AmTS`y trvr SHntpsv 07.jpeg
A weapons cache found in Jenin, according to the IDF

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 10 Palestinians, including three minors, were killed in the incident, with 100 individuals sustaining injuries, leaving 20 in critical condition. [7] The eldest of the victims on Monday was 23 years old. [17] Journalists also reported being targeted by Israeli fire while reporting on events. [17]

Palestinian sources stated that 3,000 people fled or were evacuated from the camp to escape the fighting. [7] [17] The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that it expected the numbers to rise amid ongoing Israeli military activity in the area. [7] UNRWA confirmed that camp residents were leaving. [7]

The Israeli army stated that it discovered three facilities involved in the production of weapons and confiscated caches of weapons and hundreds of explosives. [12] It also reported that the missiles fired during the operation hit a joint operations center used by militants from the Jenin Brigades, as well as a facility responsible for weapons manufacturing and the storage of explosive devices. [13]

Casualties

Among the 12 Palestinian fatalities, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed eight as militants. [5] At least one was a Hamas militant. [18]

In addition to the 12 Palestinians killed, 23-year-old Israeli soldier Sergeant-Major David Yitzhak, from the Egoz unit, was also killed during the operation. [6] An IDF investigation revealed that Yitzhak was mistakenly shot by other Israeli commandos, due to misidentification while securing the withdrawal from the camp, in a case of friendly fire. The probe highlighted positioning issues in the IDF's withdrawal and led to various "disciplinary actions" against Oz Brigade officers. [19]

Reactions

Palestine

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, asserted that the Palestinian people would not yield, surrender, or back down "in the face of this brutal aggression." [12]

Inside the Gaza Strip a march of solidarity was organized by local political groups such as the ruling Hamas party and the PFLP in solidarity with Jenin. [20] [ non-primary source needed ]

The first funeral for the dead took place on 5 July. [21] When senior Palestinian Authority members, including Mahmoud Aloul, an ally of Mahmoud Abbas, arrived to offer their respects, they were heckled and chased off by the mourners. [21]

International

Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the violence. [12] [22]

Hezbollah also condemned the attacks, stating that the Palestinians possess "many alternatives and means that will make the enemy regret its acts". [12]

United Nations and EU

Lynn Hastings, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in the Palestinian areas, expressed her concern on Twitter about the extensive Israeli military operation, noting that the airstrikes occurred in a densely populated refugee camp. [12]

On July 6, a "clearly angered" U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, in a rare condemnation of Israel, condemned the assault for excessive use of force and said of Israel "as the occupying power, it has a responsibility to ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence." The statement followed a statement the previous day by three UN independent human rights experts who said that the actions "amount to egregious violations of international law and standards on the use of force and may constitute a war crime". [23] [24] Israel demanded a retraction, Guterres declined. [25] [26]

European Union representative to the Palestinian territories Sven Kuehn von Burgsdorff led a delegation of UN officials and diplomats from 25 countries to the camp on 8 July, echoed Guterres remarks, called the assault a violation of international law and called for a political resolution to the conflict. [27] [28] [29]

Aftermath

On 4 July, nine people were injured in the city of Tel Aviv following a vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack by a Palestinian man. Hamas claimed the attack was "heroic and revenge for the military operation in Jenin". [30]

On 5 July near Mount Gerizim armed militants opened fire at an Israeli police vehicle, damaging the vehicle and also a local store. The attack reportedly left no Israelis or militants injured. [31] The PFLP's armed wing, the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. [32] A day later, the two Palestinian gunmen allegedly responsible for the shooting attack were killed by Israeli troops in Nablus during an attempt to arrest them. [33]

On 6 July, an IDF soldier [34] [35] was killed after a Palestinian gunman opened fire at security forces who had stopped to inspect his vehicle near the Israeli settlement of Kedumim. The assailant was killed by Israeli forces after fleeing the scene. The attack was claimed by Hamas, who referred to it as a "heroic operation" in retaliation for the Israeli incursion in Jenin two days prior. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40]

See also

Related Research Articles

Note: This compilation includes only those attacks that resulted in casualties. Attacks which did not kill or wound are not included.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenin</span> Palestinian city, northern West Bank

Jenin is a city in the State of Palestine in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The city serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate of Palestine and is a major center for the surrounding towns. Jenin came under Israeli occupation in 1967 and was put under the administration of the Palestinian National Authority as Area A of the West Bank, a Palestinian enclave, in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Defensive Shield</span> 2002 Israeli military operation

Operation Defensive Shield was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada. Lasting for just over a month, it was the largest combat operation in the West Bank since the start of Israel's occupation in 1967.

This page is a partial listing of incidents of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2004.

This page is a partial listing of incidents of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenin refugee camp</span> Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank

The Jenin refugee camp, also known as the Jenin camp, is a Palestinian refugee camp located in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. It was established in 1953 to house Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes by Israeli forces during and in the aftermath of the 1948 Palestine War. The camp has since become a stronghold of Palestinian militants and has become known as "the martyr's capital" by Palestinians, and "the hornets' nest" by Israelis.

Events in the year 2002 in Israel.

The year 2023 in Israel was defined first by wide-scale protests against a proposed judicial reform, and then by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which led to a war and to Israel invading the Gaza Strip.

The following is a list of events during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2022.

Events in the year 2022 in Palestine.

The Jenin Brigades, or Jenin Battalion, is a Palestinian militant group in the West Bank. It was founded in Jenin in 2021 by Jamil Al-Amouri, a militant of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The organization is based in the Jenin refugee camp in the North of the West Bank. Like most other West Bank militias, the Jenin Brigades are an umbrella formation affiliated with PIJ, Hamas, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

The following is a list of events during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2023, including the 2023 events of the Israel–Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 2023 Jenin incursion</span> 2023 Israeli raid on a Palestinian camp

On 26 January 2023, the Israel Border Police and the Israeli army conducted an armed raid on the Jenin refugee camp, which is in Area A of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and under Palestinian civil authority. According to The Jerusalem Post, the objective was to prevent a planned terrorist strike and arrest three wanted Islamic Jihad militants.

On 19 June 2023, Israeli soldiers and border police officers entered the Jenin refugee camp to arrest two wanted suspects. This resulted in clashes between Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin Brigades and Israeli soldiers. The clash had led to seven Palestinian deaths and upwards of 90 Palestinians wounded; 8 wounded Israeli soldiers. The incursion led to reprisals on both Israeli and Palestinian populations in the occupied West Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli incursions in the West Bank (2023–present)</span> Series of Israeli military engagements in the occupied West Bank

During the Israel–Hamas war, Israeli forces have carried out multiple ground incursions, occasionally accompanied by airstrikes, into several Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including Jenin and Tulkarm. The Israeli incursions have led to clashes with Palestinian militants. 806 West Bank Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the conflict began, including 143 children. The United Nations recorded more than 800 Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians between October 2023 and May 2024. Israel has arrested an estimated 10,000 West Bank Palestinians between 7 October 2023 and August 2024. On 15 December, Doctors Without Borders reported 2023 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank in recorded history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Israeli military operation in the West Bank</span>

On 28 August 2024, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, various local Palestinian militias have been engaged in armed clashes with the Palestinian Authority (PA), the self-governing administration of the region's Palestinian enclaves. The conflict is a result of the widespread unpopularity of the PA among Palestinians and the common perception that it is a collaborationist body subservient to Israel, the occupying power. In turn, the PA accuses militants of being "bandits" and agents of instability.

A variety of local Palestinian militias have been formed in the West Bank to fight against Israel, which has occupied the region since 1967. These militias have taken on primarily defensive roles, engaging the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during its raids into the West Bank's Palestinian enclaves, while also occasionally conducting offensive operations against Israeli military outposts, checkpoints, and settlers.

On 5 December 2024, the Palestinian Authority (PA) began a large-scale operation in the West Bank city of Jenin against the Jenin Brigades, a local Palestinian militia. The PA called it "Operation Protect the Homeland" and said it was launched in order to "eradicate sedition and chaos" in the West Bank, portraying militants as agents of instability that are indirectly aiding the Israeli far-right, which has sought to weaken the PA.

On 21 January 2025, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a major raid into Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Israeli operation, titled "Iron Wall", is targeting the Jenin Brigades, a local Palestinian militia, and is expected to last several days. The IDF stated that the aims of the operation are to preserve its "freedom of action” in the West Bank, to neutralize militant infrastructure, and to eliminate imminent threats. For the IDF, the fighting marks a shift in military focus to the West Bank and away from the Gaza Strip, where a ceasefire that halted the Israel–Hamas war was implemented on 19 January 2025.

References

  1. ↑ Kershner, Isabel (July 5, 2023). "Israel's Major Incursion in the West Bank Is Over. Did It Solve Anything?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  2. ↑ Sawafta, Ali (5 July 2023). "Israeli troops withdraw in West Bank, Gaza rockets fired". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 Masih, Niha; Berger, Miriam (5 July 2023). "What is happening in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, and why now?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 Sawafta, Ali (2023-07-05). "Palestinians defiant and angry after Israel's Jenin raid". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-07-18. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 Gold, Hadas; Abdelaziz, Salma; Salem, Mostafa; Dahman, Ibrahim; Salman, Abeer (5 July 2023). "Angry Palestinians mourn 12 killed in Israeli military operation in Jenin". CNN. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 Fabian, Emanuel (5 July 2023). "Soldier killed as massive Jenin operation winds down, all troops leave West Bank city". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 McKernan, Bethan (4 July 2023). "Thousands of Palestinians flee Jenin refugee camp after major Israeli raid in West Bank". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  8. ↑ McKernan, Bethan; Taha, Sufian (3 July 2023). "'History repeats itself': Israeli attack turns Jenin into war zone once again". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 McKernan, Bethan; Beaumont, Peter (3 July 2023). "Israel attacks Jenin in biggest West Bank incursion in 20 years". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  10. 1 2 Pfeffer, Anshel (3 July 2023). "Is Israel's Jenin Operation a Military Priority, or a Show for the Settlers?". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. ↑ Shotter, James (2023-07-04). "Israel vows to press on with biggest West Bank raid in decades". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Israel targets West Bank militant stronghold with drones and troops, killing 8 Palestinians". AP News. 2023-07-03. Archived from the original on 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  13. 1 2 Kershner, Isabel (2023-07-03). "Israel Launches Biggest Air Attack on West Bank in Nearly Two Decades". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  14. ↑ Harel, Amos (3 July 2023). "Israel's Operation in Jenin Won't Change Reality in the West Bank". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Mellen, Ruby; Snell, Joe; Sampson, Eve (5 July 2023). "Jenin under fire: A timeline of Israeli raids". The Washington Post. WAPO. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "Nine Palestinians killed as Israel attacks Jenin refugee camp". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 Ibrahim, Arwa (3 July 2023). "'A real massacre': Israel's attack on Palestinians in Jenin". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  18. ↑ Sawafta, Ali (2023-07-05). "Israeli troops withdraw in West Bank, Gaza rockets fired". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-07-06. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (2023-08-22). "IDF probe finds Egoz soldier killed during Jenin operation was shot by friendly fire". Times of Israel . Archived from the original on 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  20. ↑ "القوى بغزة تنظم وقفة دعم وإسناد لمخيم جنين". الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين (in Arabic). 2023-07-03. Archived from the original on 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  21. 1 2 McKernan, Bethan; Taha, Sufian (5 July 2023). "'It's just like the intifada': Palestinians reel from Israel's raid on Jenin". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  22. ↑ الهدف, بوابة (2023-07-03). "الجزائر تدين الاعتداء الذي ارتكبته قوات الاحتلال في مدينة جنين". بوابة الهدف الإخبارية (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  23. ↑ Lederer, Edith M. (July 6, 2023). "The UN chief issues a rare condemnation of excessive force by Israel in its Jenin raid". AP News. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "UN chief Guterres condemns Israel's raid on Jenin refugee camp". Al Jazeera. 7 July 2023. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  25. ↑ Lederer, Edith M. (8 July 2023). "The UN refuses to retract its condemnation of Israel over the Jenin military operation". AP News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  26. ↑ Tress, Luke (8 July 2023). "UN chief dismisses Israeli demand he retract accusation of excessive force in Jenin". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "EU envoy blasts Israel over deadly Jenin raid". France 24. July 8, 2023. Archived from the original on July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  28. ↑ Halabi, Einav (8 July 2023). "EU representative visits Jenin: Israeli operation - violation of international law". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  29. ↑ "Diplomats visit Jenin refugee camp, inspect destruction caused in two days of Israeli military assault". WAFA. 8 July 2023. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  30. ↑ Beaumont, Peter (4 July 2023). "Nine injured in Tel Aviv ramming and stabbing attack". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  31. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (5 July 2023). "Palestinian gunmen fire at police vehicle, store in Samaritan community near Nablus". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  32. ↑ "كتائب الشهيد أبو علي مصطفى تتبنى استهداف مركبة لشرطة الاحتلال في جبل جرزيم". الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين (in Arabic). 2023-07-05. Archived from the original on 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  33. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (7 July 2023). "Two Palestinian gunmen accused of recent attack killed by Israeli forces in Nablus". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  34. ↑ Frankel, Julia (6 July 2023). "Palestinian militant kills Israeli soldier in West Bank, a day after Israel's military raid in area". AP News. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  35. ↑ Jeremy Bob, Yonah (6 July 2023). "IDF soldier murdered in terror shooting near Kedumim settlement". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  36. ↑ Frankel, Julia (6 July 2023). "A Palestinian gunman kills an Israeli in the West Bank, a day after Israel's military raid in area". AP News. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  37. ↑ Awad, Ammar (6 July 2023). "Palestinian gunman kills Israeli soldier in West Bank". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  38. ↑ Shezaf, Hagar; Kubovich, Yaniv; Efrati, Ido; Khoury, Jack (6 July 2023). "Israeli Soldier Killed in West Bank Shooting Attack; Hamas Claims Responsibility". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  39. ↑ "Israeli killed in illegal settlement attack; gunman shot dead". Al Jazeera. 6 July 2023. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  40. ↑ "Palestinian shot dead after attacking Israelis near an illegal settlement in the north of the West Bank". WAFA. 6 July 2023. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
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