Thousands of civilians have fled the fighting, which continued on Tuesday. In the evening hours, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a military base on the outskirts of Jenin. Here he indicated that the military offensive, which is one of the most extensive in the occupied West Bank in 20 years, may be coming to an end. – We are now in the process of completing the mission, and I can say that our extensive operation in Jenin is not a one-off, he said. – We will continue as long as necessary to end terrorism. We will not let Jenin again become a haven for terrorism, said the prime minister. Smoke rises from Jenin during the Israeli military operation, which continued on Tuesday. Photo: Ariel Schalit / AP Airstrikes Netanyahu claims the attack on the refugee camp, where eleven Palestinians have been killed and over 100 injured since Monday, is aimed at people “who want to wipe out Israel”. According to eyewitnesses, the operation began with attacks from aircraft and drones. According to Netanyahu, however, the Israeli soldiers ensure that “the least possible damage to civilians” is done. The UN does not share that view. Prevented – We are concerned about the scale of air and ground operations taking place in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, and airstrikes hitting a densely populated refugee camp, says spokesperson Vanessa Huguenin at the UN Office for Emergency Relief (OCHA). According to her, three of the ten killed are minors. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced late on Monday evening that a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds were among those killed. – First aid personnel have been prevented by Israeli forces from entering the Jenin camp to treat the critically wounded, says a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), Christian Lindmeier. A wounded Palestinian is taken to hospital. At least eleven Palestinians have been killed and over 100 wounded in the Israeli attack on the refugee camp in Jenin Photo: Nasser Nasser / AP Armed resistance The Jenin camp houses close to 18,000 Palestinians in less than half a square kilometer. The Palestinian Red Crescent evacuated thousands of terrified residents from the fighting late on Monday night. Jenin’s mayor Nidal Al-Obeidi states that around 4,000 Palestinians have fled the camp and are now staying with relatives or in schools and other public buildings. The Israeli soldiers met heavy armed resistance from militant Palestinians when they moved into the narrow streets with armored bulldozers in the early hours of Monday, occupied houses and placed snipers on roofs. Israel also carried out at least 20 attacks with aircraft and drones, and both the water and electricity supplies in the camp have been destroyed. On Tuesday, it was announced that an arms cache and two so-called observation posts had been found and blown up. According to Israel, over 120 Palestinians have been captured so far in the operation. In the afternoon, the army said that fewer than ten targets remained in the camp and that it hoped to complete the operation within 24 hours. A Palestinian man waves a Palestinian and a Syrian flag in front of an Israeli military vehicle in the occupied Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin on Tuesday Photo: AP Militant groups According to Israel, all the Palestinians who were killed were militants. Islamic Holy War confirms that four of their soldiers were killed. Hamas confirms that one of its men was killed, but it is not known whether the other victims belonged to militant factions. According to Palestinian health authorities, there are many civilians among the more than 100 wounded, and the condition of 20 of them is described as critical. Self-government Jenin is located in what the Oslo agreement between Israel and the Palestinians defines as area A, where the Palestinians must have civil and security self-government. Israeli soldiers nevertheless carry out regular attacks in these areas as well. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refers to the attack on the refugee camp as a “war crime” and has announced that all security cooperation with Israel has been frozen for the time being. The Arab League has called an emergency meeting to discuss “an Arab mobilization to meet the Israeli attack on Jenin”. Militant Palestinian groups are also threatening to respond to the attack, and on Tuesday eight people were injured in an attack when a Palestinian from the West Bank drove into a group of people in Tel Aviv. The man was shot dead by an armed Israeli after he got out of the car and allegedly started stabbing people with a sharp object. The condition is serious for five of the victims. Hamas claims the man was a member of the group and describes the car attack as a “natural response” to the Jenin attack. According to Israel, up to 2,000 soldiers are participating in the attack on the refugee camp in Jenin, which was also attacked by planes and drones on Monday. Photo: Ariel Schalit / AP – Dangerous escalation UN special coordinator Tor Wennesland calls the Israeli attack on Jenin “a dangerous escalation” and UN Secretary-General António Guterres demands that international law be respected. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls on Israel to protect Palestinian civilians and exercise restraint. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) is also troubled by the use of violence and fears for the civilian population in the camp. – The refugee camp in Jenin is densely populated. Civilians and the injured must be able to leave the area, and humanitarian access must be granted, with safety for aid workers, she said on Monday. Unacceptable Save the Children shares the concern. – It is unacceptable that it is once again the children who are exposed to violence and who have to pay the price for the ongoing conflict, says the aid organisation’s country director in the occupied Palestinian area, Jason Lee. – Civilians and civil infrastructure must be protected to ensure that children have access to basic services, he says. Over 140 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the occupied West Bank so far this year. 24 Israelis and two foreign nationals have been killed in Palestinian attacks at the same time. (© NTB)
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Netanyahu visited soldiers outside Jenin – warns of new attacks – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
