JENIN: Israeli forces conducted widespread raids across the occupied West Bank, resulting in the arrest of two Palestinians and the deliberate damage of a bus transporting Hajj pilgrims in the northern city of Jenin.
During the operation, a military vehicle rammed into the bus in front of the Jenin governorate building as it was preparing to depart for the Karama border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. The passengers, many of them were elderly and suffering from chronic illnesses, were en route to Saudi Arabia via Jordan to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the Israeli military vehicle “hit the bus deliberately,” though no injuries were reported. Jenin Deputy Governor Mansour al-Saadi condemned the incident, stating, “The occupation vehicle deliberately and directly hit the bus while it was parked outside the governorate building. Most of the passengers were elderly and suffering from chronic illnesses, which heightened their trauma and fear.”
Palestinians in the West Bank frequently rely on Jordanian airports for international travel due to restrictions imposed by Israel.In another incident in the town of Silat al-Harithiya, west of Jenin, Israeli forces raided a residence and arrested a young man, Samer Jaradat. Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that an explosive device detonated as the forces withdrew from the area.
In Tulkarem, the Israeli military arrested 24-year-old Diana Ghalib Mazid after storming her home in the town of Anabta, according to WAFA. Additionally, raids targeted the Askar New Camp in eastern Nablus and al-Ain Camp in the western part of the city. Gunfire and sound bombs were reported during these incursions, though no injuries or arrests were confirmed.
Since January 21, Israel has intensified its military operations in the northern West Bank, beginning in Jenin and expanding to Tulkarem by January 27. Since the onset of Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, at least 972 Palestinians have been killed, with over 7,000 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers across the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The International Court of Justice declared last July that Israel’s longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, emphasising the ongoing struggle and the urgent need for accountability and international intervention.
