Israel is planning more significant escalations in the West Bank, and the Israeli military now considers the occupied territory the second most critical front, immediately after Gaza, Israel Hayom reported on Tuesday.
Israeli security officials told the outlet that while the directive for the West Bank is in its initial stages and that changes on the ground will take time, a new series of operations across the territory are imminent.
Last week, Israel launched its largest attack on the West Bank since 2002, with raids focused on Jenin and Tulkarm in the north. “The Jenin operation is just the beginning,” a security official told Israel Hayom.
The Israeli assault on Jenin continued for the seventh day on Tuesday as the city remains under siege. According to the Jenin municipality, the Israeli military has destroyed 70% of the roads and infrastructure in the city, and about 80% of the water has been cut off to residents.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 30 Palestinians have been killed and 130 others were injured in the West Bank since Israel launched the assault last week. The total deaths include six children and two elderly people. Since October 7, 680 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank.
The Israel Hayom report said that the Israeli military aims to have a calmer West Bank by October, but the escalations will likely lead to more armed resistance from Palestinians.
As Israel began the assault last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the West Bank should be dealt with the same as Gaza and called for the evacuation of Palestinians. Some Palestinians have been forced out of their homes in the territory, similar to the forced displacements in Gaza.
Many members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government have been outspoken about their desire to annex the West Bank and take over more land. When the coalition was formed in 2022, it agreed to prioritize the expansion of West Bank settlements with the ultimate goal of annexing the territory.
