Jenin updates: Israel hits Gaza after 12 killed in Jenin raid
These were the updates for the attack on Jenin on Tuesday, July 4.
This live blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates for the Jenin attack on Tuesday, July 4:
This live blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates for the Jenin attack on Tuesday, July 4:
- Israel launches air attacks on the Gaza Strip.
- Five rockets are fired from Gaza, prompting the activation of the Iron Dome air defence system in southern Israel.
- Israel says it is withdrawing its forces from Jenin after a two-day military operation.
- At least 12 Palestinians have been killed in Jenin and one in Ramallah amid Israel’s largest raid in decades in the occupied West Bank.
- Israeli forces have confirmed that at least one soldier was killed by gunfire on Tuesday evening.
- Hamas says the Palestinian who carried out a car-ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv wounding seven people was one of its members, adding he acted in response to Israel’s actions in Jenin.
In photos: Residents return, assess damage in Jenin refugee camp after Israeli forces withdraw
Palestinians returning to the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank have been met with scenes of widespread destruction following the Israeli army’s two-day raid:
Israel says all forces withdrawn from Jenin: Local media
All Israeli forces have now withdrawn from Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli army has said, ending a two-day operation that killed at least 12 Palestinians, injured approximately 100 others and caused widespread destruction to Jenin’s refugee camp.
Local media reported that Israeli army spokesperson Brigadier-General Daniel Hagari made the announcement, according to a report on the army’s radio station.
One Israeli soldier was killed during the raid on Jenin.
‘Destruction is all around’ in Jenin camp: Reporter
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from the Jenin refugee camp, said destruction is widespread following the Israeli military’s withdrawal from the area.
“The destruction is all around. The roads have been ripped up. Cars have been pushed aside by the bulldozers – just absolutely wrecked,” Fisher said.
“The thing to notice here is just how much damage has been done. How homes have been absolutely wrecked. Maybe not destroyed because there’s the possibility they might be able to rebuild them. But the whole area is in an absolute and total mess,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work to be done here and people are very angry about what they have seen, and certainly very angry about what they have had to experience over the last 48 hours.”
Israeli army says air attacks on Gaza in response to rocket fire
The Israeli army has confirmed it carried out air attacks on the Gaza Strip in response to rockets fired from the Palestinian coastal enclave.
“In response to the rockets launched earlier tonight [Wednesday], the IDF [Israel’s army] is currently striking in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli army said, according to the French news agency AFP.
A Palestinian security source said the air attacks hit a Hamas military site in northern Gaza but caused no injuries.
Physicians for Human Rights say Israeli forces attacked Jenin hospitals
Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) said that three hospitals came under attack during the Israeli military assault on Jenin, “severely damaging their operational capacity”.
The Israeli military also prevented ambulances from evacuating the wounded during the assault on Jenin and, “in a further escalation, Israeli forces stormed Jenin’s governmental hospital, firing tear gas and live bullets”, the human rights group said in a tweet.
“Five civilians were injured as a result, including three in serious condition. According to reports, the emergency room is still unusable, and other hospital departments haven’t returned to normal operations,” the organisation said.
“When hospitals are attacked, and their protected status is ignored, the resulting damage is severe: patients and staff are injured, residents lose confidence in the hospital as a haven… and the trust in medical facilities, personnel, and their capacity to provide care and protection is lost,” PHRI said.
Three Hospitals were attacked during the military assault on Jenin, severely damaging their operational capacity. According to Israel, one of the incidents occurred after gunshots were fired from within the hospital, leading to its loss of protection under international… pic.twitter.com/IaHYklVK2H
— Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) (@PHRIsrael) July 4, 2023
Israel hits sites in Gaza City and Beit Lahia: Reporter
Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip had been expected following the firing of rockets from the strip towards Israel earlier on Wednesday morning, said Issam Adwan, reporting for Al Jazeera from Gaza.
“We have seen various air strikes, particularly at the northern side of the Gaza Strip in the city of Beit Lahia and the south side city of Gaza,” Adwan said.
The Ministry of Health has not reported casualties from the attacks, Adwan said.
Israel launches air attacks on northern Gaza: Local media
Israeli air attacks have hit sites in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, local media have reported, following rockets fired towards Israel from the strip earlier on Wednesday morning.
Israeli media, citing Palestinian news sources, said Israel’s air force hit a target near Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian media sources said at least three air strikes hit locations in the town. There were no initial reports of damage or casualties.
Malaysia condemns Israeli air attacks on Jenin
Malaysia has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” air attacks conducted by Israeli forces on Jenin in the occupied West Bank and called on Israel to “stop the bloodshed” and allow the people of Jenin unhindered access to humanitarian and healthcare services.
“Many innocent lives have been lost due to the Israeli aggression,” Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The continued provocation, aggression and incessant atrocities committed by the Israeli occupation forces are a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws,” the ministry said.
Malaysia “once again” called on the United Nations Security Council and the international community to demand that the “Israeli regime halts its heinous crimes against humanity as well as apartheid policies against the Palestinians in the interest of peace and stability”, the ministry added.
Malaysia strongly condemns the airstrikes by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin, Palestine pic.twitter.com/YiThi6lRue
— Zambry Abd Kadir (@ZambryOfficial) July 5, 2023
Jenin residents return to ‘devastating scenes’ after Israeli withdrawal
Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim, reporting from Ramallah, said residents who have returned to the Jenin refugee camp after the withdrawal of Israeli forces have encountered “devastating scenes”.
“Their homes are destroyed. The roads are totally levelled as well as cars being toppled,” Ibrahim said.
Yet, despite the death and destruction inflicted by the Israeli military, there were also celebrations in Jenin for the resistance demonstrated by Palestinians during the huge Israeli operation.
“We’ve seen scenes of celebrations in the Jenin refugee camp where people say that Israel could not really crack down on the resistance, on the armed fighters as well as their weapons,” Ibrahim said.
“We have also seen similar scenes here in the occupied West Bank in Ramallah and Jericho,” Ibrahim said, adding that Jenin has become an example for other cities in the occupied West Bank in terms of resisting Israeli forces.
“So there has been a lot of support really for people in Jenin,” Ibrahim said.
Drones heard over Gaza following rockets launched at Israel
Issam Adwan, reporting for Al Jazeera from Gaza, said that no one has yet taken responsibility for the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Witnesses reported that the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system and the current atmosphere in Gaza was “cautious” as Israeli drones could be “clearly” heard flying overhead, Adwan said.
The presence of drones has often preceded an Israeli air attack, Adwan said, noting that analysts have spoken of the potential for Israel to launch an armed response over the rocket fire.
“We don’t know what the following hours will hold,” he said.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen next”.
The Israeli military said earlier that five rockets were intercepted after their launch from Gaza.
Israel leaves behind ‘incredible carnage’ in Jenin: Analyst
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Utica, New York, Middle East analyst Omar Baddar confirms that the Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp appears to be winding down.
“But Israel leaves behind incredible carnage in Jenin: a dozen Palestinians killed, homes demolished, streets destroyed and thousands of people displaced. And what’s most important to know about all of this is that it achieves absolutely nothing and it changes nothing,” Baddar said.
“This will not bring stability or safety to anyone. Violence only begets violence as we have actually seen in the past 48 hours as well.”
Baddar added that he feels Israel’s military operation in Jenin is an extension of the violence that has “repeated itself decade after decade”.
“Frankly, what we need in the short term is accountability for the crimes that Israel committed in Jenin. But more long term, we also need to bring an end to the Israeli military occupation that is effectively the driving force of all the violence.”
Jenin residents reflect on violence of Israeli raid
Speaking with Al Jazeera, residents of the Jenin refugee camp recalled the violence of the last two days as the Israeli army continues its withdrawal.
Yazan Soqiya said he stayed behind during the evacuation to assist women and children during the raid.
“Most people left the camp but some of them remained to protect it. We stayed as well to support them,” he said. “We helped evacuate women as well from the sites of confrontation. However, the army wasn’t letting us help people. They were hindering us, blocking streets and firing at women and the youths trying to approach them.”
Hashib Deeb, meanwhile, described the destruction his family endured.
“The Israeli forces demolished the walls of our house. They aimed their weapons at me, ordering me to raise my hands, and stormed my house,” he said.
Five rockets ‘intercepted’ from Gaza: Israel military
The Israeli military has “successfully intercepted” five rockets launched from Gaza, it said on social media.
Israel previously reported that its Iron Dome aerial defence system has a success rate of about 96 percent when faced with incoming rocket fire. The system became operational in 2011.
5 rockets were launched from Gaza toward Israeli territory. The IDF Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted all the rocket launches.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 4, 2023
Videos show Iron Dome activated over southern Israel
Videos have been shared on social media allegedly showing Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defence system being activated in response to missiles launched from Gaza.
— Local Focus – Security Alerts (@LocalFocus1) July 4, 2023
Israel reports missile fired from Gaza Strip
Israeli authorities have reported that sirens have been activated in southern Israel.
“Sirens sounding in southern Israel,” the Israeli military said in a Twitter post.
The Twitter account Local Focus–Security Alerts reported that rocket sirens were sounding in the Israeli city of Sderot after a missile was launched from Gaza. The account also said that the Iron Dome air defence system had been activated.
🚨Sirens sounding in southern Israel🚨
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 4, 2023
Israel did not meet objectives in operation: Analyst
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara has said that Israel’s incursions into Jenin over the last two days are unlikely to result in any durable changes.
“Clearly, the objectives have not been fulfilled. Otherwise, they wouldn’t talk about going back again,” he said.
“Clearly, this is the sort of operation that has very limited possibility or potential for success,” Bishara added, citing the resilience of the Jenin camp to withstand violence.
“What we see in Jenin”, he explained, “is a capacity like the phoenix to rise from the ashes and to arm again, if necessary, to resist against the occupation”.
Israeli military confirms death of soldier in Jenin
The Israeli military has confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed by gunfire during confrontations with armed Palestinian groups in Jenin on Tuesday evening.
“A non-commissioned officer in combat service was killed by live fire during the operation against terrorist infrastructure in the Jenin Camp this evening,” the Israeli military posted on Twitter, with a message of condolence for the soldier’s family.
At least 11 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces over the last two days.
A non-commissioned officer in combat service was killed by live fire during the operation against terrorist infrastructure in the Jenin Camp this evening.
The IDF sends its heartfelt condolences to the family and will continue to support them. pic.twitter.com/08aNLxfJlw
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 4, 2023
Twitter post allegedly shows Israeli medical equipment in Jenin camp
The Twitter account Local Focus–Security Alerts, which tabulates social media posts and information about security incidents in Israel and Palestine, has shared a video allegedly showing medical equipment abandoned by Israeli forces in the Jenin camp.
“Video shows ISF [Israeli Security Forces] medical equipment left on the ground after treating several ISF Elite elements injured in Jenin Refugee Camp by Palestinian gunfire and IEDs [improvised explosive devices],” the caption reads.
In a follow-up post, the account said that gunfire and explosions had been reported at various locations around the city of Jenin and its camp.
Video shows ISF medical equipment left on the ground after treating several ISF Elite elements injured in Jenin Refugee Camp by Palestinian gunfire and IEDs. pic.twitter.com/HJ8feH4DBk
— Local Focus – Security Alerts (@LocalFocus1) July 4, 2023
Jerusalem Post: Israeli soldier killed in Jenin on Tuesday evening
An Israeli soldier was killed by gunfire on Tuesday evening during fighting in Jenin, Israeli publication The Jerusalem Post has reported, citing the Israeli army spokesperson’s unit.
The Post writes that the soldier, who was not identified, received medical treatment at the site before being evacuated to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An @IDF soldier was killed by gunfire amid clashes in the #Jenin refugee camp earlier on Tuesday evening.https://t.co/ETZAwrbk0E
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) July 4, 2023
Israel’s Ben-Gvir calls for expanded gun access after ramming attack
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived on the scene of a car ramming and stabbing attack by a Palestinian suspect in Tel Aviv, who was shot dead by an armed passer-by.
Ben-Gvir, who has a history of incendiary and racist rhetoric, said making it easier for Israeli citizens to obtain firearms would enable people to shoot down future attackers.
“This citizen saved lives,” Ben-Gvir said of the attacker. “This is our policy at the Ministry of National Security: to give people weapons to defend themselves.”
He added that his policy would help fill gaps in national security. “We can’t put policemen on every street, but we can give civilians weapons to defend themselves. I call on Israeli citizens: Carry guns. Our ministry’s policy is to make it easier, as possible, to get gun licenses. Weapons save lives.”
Residents begin returning to heavily damaged camp
Al Jazeera correspondent Nida Ibrahim said that videos have shown Palestinians returning to the battered Jenin refugee camp as Israeli forces begin to withdraw after intense fighting that left many residents without vital services.
“We’ve heard reports from Palestinian medical teams that they’re sending some civil defence firefighters and civil defence teams to see if there are any explosives that might have been left by Israeli forces as they withdrew from the refugee camp,” Ibrahim said from Ramallah.
“People who have went in, they talk about serious damages, devastation in the camp when it comes to the roads, the houses that have been demolished one after the other to allow for the Israeli forces to move from one house to another. So there are people who have managed to return to their homes, but it’s not clear that everyone will be able to.”
Context: Israeli forces don’t respect that paramedics and journalists are there doing their jobs. They’re often targeted and shot. https://t.co/qOyWfahZvg
— Nida' Ibrahim (@nida_journo) July 4, 2023
Intense clashes continue between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in Jenin
Intense armed clashes have broken out in Jenin between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli forces.
The escalation came as Israeli forces began to withdraw from the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
It marked the toughest confrontation between the two sides since the beginning of Israel’s brutal aggression.
Israeli soldier killed in Jenin, says Palestinian armed group
Jenin Brigades says an Israeli soldier has been killed after an explosive device was detonated in the West Bank city of Jenin.
The Israeli military has yet to confirm the report.
Israeli demonstrators arrested during pro-Jenin protest
Seven people have been arrested in the northern Israeli city of Haifa during a solidarity demonstration in support of Jenin residents following the Israeli army’s assault in the West Bank city.
Number of wounded in Tel Aviv attack rises to eight
A Hamas fighter who rammed his car into a crowded Tel Aviv bus stop and began stabbing people has wounded eight people in an attack by a Palestinian suspect.
Palestinian armed groups called the attack revenge for an Israeli military offensive in the occupied West Bank.