Israel besieges West Bank cities in brutal war against illegally occupied Palestinian territories

Jenin, West Bank – Israel continued its bloody assault on the illegally occupied West Bank for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday as its brutal war against the Palestinians reached a new peak.

While clashes and explosions continued in the northern city of Jenin, two Palestinians were killed as they prepared to carry out bombings in the southern West Bank overnight, according to the Israeli military.

Hamas spoke of a “heroic operation” at what it called a “sensitive moment” during Israeli operations in the north.

Its ally Islamic Jihad, which has a strong presence in the northern West Bank, also said it “congratulated” the perpetrators on what it described as a “coordinated attack.”

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The Israeli army described a vehicle explosion at a gas station in the illegal settlement bloc of Gush Etzion as an “attempted car bomb attack,” and a chase with a militant in the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Zur also ended in an explosive device detonating.

At least 20 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army since Wednesday in simultaneous attacks in several cities in the northern West Bank.

Since Friday, the soldiers have concentrated their attacks on the city of Jenin and its refugee camps, which have long been a stronghold of Palestinian resistance to the occupation.

On Saturday morning, an AFP photographer in Jenin heard of ongoing clashes in the city. The streets were largely empty except for armored vehicles, one of which blocked the entrance to the state hospital.

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“I think this is the worst day since the attack began… From time to time we hear of clashes and sometimes there are heavy bombings,” said hospital director Wisam Bakr.

The hospital has been cut off from water and electricity, leaving it to rely on a generator and a water tank, he told AFP.

Bulldozers were used to destroy roads and raze dozens of houses.

At least 637 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank since October 7, in addition to the more than 40,000 dead left by Israel's devastating war on Gaza.