Israel scales up military raids in the West Bank

Israeli occupation forces and the Shin Bet Security service are carrying out one of the largest military raids in more than two years, in Tubas, a northern occupied West Bank governorate near Jenin. The large scale invasion of the town and its surrounding villages began on Tuesday night, November 25, and the army has now surrounded the area. Troops, armoured vehicles and bulldozers are being used in the assault, while helicopters had earlier been firing indiscriminately at civilians.

Israeli occupation taking over Palestinian homes in the West Bank and turning them into military barracks

‘Israeli’ soldiers stormed Palestinian homes and turned them into military bases, forcibly displacing more than 30 families.

The raid, labelled as Operation Five Stones by the occupation, is focusing on the five villages near Tubas which the Israeli occupation forces accuse of being:

hotbeds of terrorist activity.

But Tubas Governor Ahmed Asaad has told Al Jazeera this military campaign by the zionist regime has nothing to do with the “broad counterterrorism operation” the military claims. He said:

The assault is targeting Tubas for its location near the Jordan Valley, in a new effort to impose new realities.

Haaretz reports that in leaflets distributed in the area, the IOF told residents the area had become a “haven for terrorism”. The leaflets said:

Israeli security forces will not accept this and will act with force and determination. If you do not change this, we will act as we did in Jenin and Tulkarm.

More than 100 Palestinians detained, including three journalists

The IOF have sealed off the area, and are detaining and questioning Palestinians. The detainees include Palestinian journalists, Yazan Hamayel, Khaled Bdeir and Shadi Jarar’a.

According to the Director of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society in Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, the IOF have been storming homes across the governorate. They’ve been detaining Palestinians and transferring them to field interrogation centres. More than 100 Palestinians have been held- half of them from the town of Tammun. 27 detainees were released late last night, some of whom remained shackled until reaching their homes. The IOF also arrested an injured Palestinian from inside an ambulance, at the entrance to Tammun, while medics were transporting him to hospital.

Nidal Odeh is Director of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Tubas. He said Israeli occupation soldiers have also assaulted at least 25 others, including detainees who they have interrogated and beaten.

Yesterday, November 26, PRCS ambulances transported to hospital 30 medical cases. These included 20 kidney dialysis patients and one case of death inside a home that was evacuated. But its crews continue to be obstructed in transporting patients, by the ongoing Israeli military presence, and restrictions on movement.

‘Israeli’ soldiers Intentionally vandalise Palestinian homes

The Palestinian Government Communication Centre in the West Bank released a statement on November 27. It said the IOF had forcibly evacuated several buildings in Tubas and the surrounding villages, converting them into military barracks. Troops have also carried out extensive vandalism inside multiple homes, and damaged water supplies in several locations. In the statement they said:

Commercial life has come to a complete halt. All shops have been forced to close except for a limited number of bakeries operating to meet basic needs, despite the risk of being forcibly shut down. Only two pharmacies remain open to provide essential medications, even as Israeli checkpoints inside the city severely restrict movement, and soldiers assault anyone attempting to pass.

The Directorate of Education in Tubas announced yesterday, Nov 26, the suspension of all public schools and kindergartens. This is to ensure the safety of staff and pupils. Just this morning, the IOF stormed a school in Tamun, and destroyed its main gate.

Tubas and Northern Jordan Valley Governor, Ahmad al-As’ad, also announced the suspension of work in all public and private institutions. He said the occupation is trying to cut off the various areas from one another, and paralyse movement.

Occupation forces have also tightened control at the Tayasir military checkpoint. This is just one of a number in the area, and a key transit point for Palestinians. It has been closed for an extended period, preventing people from moving freely. This also causes many problems for farmers and herders, who are unable to tend their crops, or market their produce. This is threatening their livelihoods and deepening the humanitarian and economic crisis in the region.

An ongoing campaign by the occupation to forcibly displace Palestinians and annex West Bank

The raid in Tubas area continues. As this is being written, last night November 27, the PRCS say they have received five young men who had been detained and beaten by the IOF in Tammun. They are currently being transferred to hospital.

This latest West Bank raid by the Occupation’s soldiers comes 10 months since the launch of Operation Iron Wall. This military campaign completely emptied three Palestinian West Bank refugee camps and 32,000 residents remain forcibly displaced.

Since October 7, 2023, more than 1000 Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israeli occupation forces, who systematically use lethal force against them. One in five killed are children.

Featured images supplied via author