The Israeli occupation military has announced its intention to escalate its attacks on Palestinian resistance fighters in the West Bank, following the killing of three young men near Jenin on Sunday. The Israeli military said that the operation was “only the beginning” and that it plans to “strike at the infrastructure of the resistance” in Jenin and other areas.
According to the Israeli website Walla, Israeli military officials said that the army would expand its freedom of action in the West Bank and carry out assassinations of resistance fighters. The occupation military claimed that the Palestinians killed on Sunday evening was involved in shooting attacks against Israeli settlers and soldiers, and that an M16 weapon was found in their possession.
The Israeli officials added that the occupation army would also target the Jenin Brigades, a Palestinian resistance group affiliated with Islamic Jihad, which they accused of receiving funds from abroad. The Israeli army claimed that it had confiscated 1.1 million shekels transferred from other countries to the militants in the West Bank in the past two months. The army also said that it had seized about 800 weapons in the first half of 2023, compared to 1,000 weapons in 2022.
The assassination of the three resistance fighters near Araba junction, south of Jenin, sparked a wave of anger and condemnation among Palestinians, who denounced it as a “cold-blooded execution”. The Palestinian Authority called for an international investigation into the incident, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad vowed to retaliate against the Israeli aggression.
The West Bank has witnessed a surge in tensions and violence in recent months, amid Israeli settlement expansion, home demolitions, arrests, and raids. The Israeli army has also increased its use of lethal force against Palestinian protesters and civilians, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
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