Israeli strikes in the West Bank kill at least 10, Palestinian officials say, as city of Jenin 'sealed off'

Israeli strikes in the West Bank have killed at least 10 people, according to the Palestine Red Crescent.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have launched raids across the occupied West Bank and sealed off the city of Jenin in what the Israeli foreign minister described as a “full-fledged war” against “Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures”.

Israeli forces surrounded the city, blocking off exit and entry points and access to hospitals, the governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al Rub, said on Palestinian radio.

The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarm.

They were said to have blocked roads to a hospital with dirt barriers and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin.

The Palestinian government said hospitals were under siege and warned of “repercussions” over what it said were threats to storm them.

“Dozens of patients are currently being treated.. any incursion into them is a direct threat to the lives of patients and medical staff,” a statement added.

Seven people were killed early on Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39, were identified as the two people killed in Jenin, the ministry said.

More civilian bodies from the IDF’s raid can only make a dire situation worse

It took us a few goes to reach the centre of Jenin.

The main roads were blocked by IDF checkpoints, stopping what little traffic there was – the streets inside the city were almost deserted as most people stayed in the safety of their homes.

The market, normally busy and a crucial centre of commerce, was closed and barricades were out across the street to slow IDF vehicles.

We managed to get close to the refugee camp, but couldn’t go further because of IDF operations. Ambulances continually drove past us, in both directions.

The ones trying to reach Jenin’s main hospital were stopped and searched to check they were transporting wanted militants. Many were refused access.

It felt quieter than previous IDF raids I’ve covered in Jenin. There were a few bursts of gunfire, and a drone circling constantly overhead, but otherwise pretty quiet.

That could be misleading. Israeli military officials tell me the operation could last a while longer yet and spread to other towns in the West Bank.

Israel says it is determined to smash terrorist cells operating there, but they’ve been carrying out raids, almost constantly, and still find the need to do so.

The underlying issues are much deeper and more complex – more civilian bodies could only make an already dire situation worse.

Images from a morgue in Tubas show a number of dead from the latest West Bank attacks as it appeared the Israeli military was operating in a number of cities in the territory.

The armed wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah said in separate statements their gunmen were fighting Israeli forces in the three West Bank areas.

Clashes with the Israeli military in the West Bank have risen sharply since the 7 October attacks and subsequent invasion of Gaza, while Israeli settlers have also launched frequent vigilante-style attacks on Palestinian communities.

Israel described the overnight operation as a “counter-terrorism” strike, and posting on X, minister for foreign affairs Israel Katz said: “The IDF has been operating with intensity since last night in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarm to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there.”

He accused Iran of working to set up an “eastern terrorist front”.

Mr Katz added: “This is a full-fledged war, and we must win it.”

Five killed in Monday airstrike

Separately, the IDF said it had “eliminated five terrorists” operating in the area of Nur Shams, also in the West Bank, on Monday.

Among those dead, they named Jibril Jasan Ismail, who they said was released as part of “the agreement in November 2023” – the same time Israel and Hamas conducted a large-scale hostage swap.

“Also eliminated were the terrorists Mohanad Qarawi and Muhammad Yussef … and the terrorist Adnan Jaber,” the IDF added.

Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested in recent military raids in the West Bank, and at least 637 have been killed since the 7 October attacks, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.

Many of them are armed fighters but others are stone-throwing youths or uninvolved civilians.

At least 30 Israelis have been killed in attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank during the same period, according to Israeli tallies.

Unclear how long latest operation will last – but it’s biggest for some time

The IDF launched its latest military assault overnight in the West Bank on Tuesday. It is focused on the towns of Tulkarm and Jenin although other operations are ongoing elsewhere in the West Bank.

Israeli officials say they are acting against attempts by Iran to smuggle weapons and explosives into the West Bank and encourage terror attacks against Israelis.

The raids are not targeted at any specific militant group, although elements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are one focus.

The IDF has used drones to strike targets and there are reports of helicopter gunships circling above Jenin. Roads in and out have been shut off and access to hospitals is blocked.

Violence in the West Bank, both attacks against Israelis but also IDF raids, has been on the rise since the start of 2023 and has increased further since 7 October.

Israel says more than 150 attacks have originated from the West Bank in the past eleven months.

A failed suicide bomb in Tel Aviv two weeks ago, which killed the attacker when it exploded in his rucksack and injured one other, is a dangerous development and has caused extreme concern in security circles.

It’s unclear how long this operation will last, the IDF is not putting a duration on it, nor are they saying how many soldiers are involved. But despite regular raids, sometimes daily, this is clearly one of the bigger operations for some time.

At least 16 killed in Khan Younis

At least 16 more people have been killed in Israeli strikes within Gaza, Palestinian officials also said on Wednesday.

Five women and three children were among the dead in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Those killed include a brother and sister, and their relative, who died in their home in the east of the city, the Nasser Hospital said.

Meanwhile, in central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike late on Tuesday killed local journalist Mohamed Abdrabu and his sister.

Ceasefire talks ongoing

The latest round of Israeli attacks comes as the US, Egypt, and Qatar continue to try to mediate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Despite recent optimism, including US President Joe Biden saying they were “closer than we’ve ever been” to a deal, a number of obstacles remain.

One sticking point is the ongoing presence of Israeli forces in Gaza, Sky News’ Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said.

Israel wants to keep forces in the enclave for security and strategic reasons.

This includes preventing Hamas from rearming using routes such as the Philadelphi corridor – the border between Gaza and Egypt – which was used by the militant group for many years.

A total of 40,534 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military response there after the 7 October attacks, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its figures.

Israel retaliated in Gaza after Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took hundreds more hostage.

More civilian bodies from the IDF’s raid can only make a dire situation worse

Unclear how long latest operation will last – but it’s biggest for some time

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