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Israel’s defence minister has said tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians will not be allowed to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank, as the Israeli military expands its operations against armed militants in the territory.
The “Iron Wall” military offensive, which was launched late last month, has been deemed the most expansive Israeli operation in the West Bank for more than two decades.
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that he had instructed the military “to prepare for an extended stay in the camps that have been cleared for the coming year, and not to allow residents to return”.
“We will not return to the reality that existed in the past. We will continue to clear refugee camps and other terrorist centres in order to dismantle the [militant] battalions and terrorist infrastructures of extremist Islam that were built,” Katz added.
Israeli forces have so far targeted Palestinian militant groups primarily in the northern refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem, Nur Shams and Far’a. The IDF said on Sunday that a tank platoon had been deployed to Jenin and that operations had been expanded to the restive neighbouring town of Qabatiya.
More than 50 Palestinians have been killed during the military operation, including a 13-year-old girl in Jenin on Friday, according to UN figures, as well as three Israeli soldiers. The UN estimates that about 40,000 people have been forced to evacuate from their homes due to the fighting.
Israeli officials had previously indicated that the evacuations from the camps had been voluntary and that the local population would be free to return.
During a visit to the Jenin camp last week with the Israeli military, the Financial Times confirmed that the area had been almost completely emptied of more than 15,000 people. According to Israeli estimates, only about 1,000 people remain, with large parts of the camp — including main roads, schools, mosques and at least two dozen buildings — destroyed due to the fighting.
Israeli military officials said they were targeting the local Jenin Brigade, a loose confederation of young armed men from factions such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad who have joined forces to increase their effectiveness.
The local brigade, or kataib, model has been replicated in other parts of the northern West Bank, including in Tulkarem camp, which Israel claims was the origin of Thursday’s bus bombing plot.
Three improvised explosive devices detonated on buses in Tel Aviv’s suburbs, while a fourth device was neutralised by security forces. No one was injured as the buses were empty at the time of the explosions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Tulkarem refugee camp on Friday and vowed to expand the West Bank offensive.
“We are entering the strongholds of terrorism, levelling entire streets used by terrorists and their homes, as well as eliminating terrorists and commanders,” he said.
Separately, the fragile US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been thrown into doubt after Netanyahu delayed the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners late on Saturday night, despite the militant group releasing six Israeli hostages from captivity earlier in the day.
The prime minister’s office accused Hamas of “repeated violations” of the accord reached last month, including “cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes”.
“It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
The remains of four Israeli hostages were expected to be released by Hamas on Thursday.
The initial 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to end next weekend, with talks about the second phase of the agreement — which could see the release of dozens of remaining Israeli hostages and permanently end the war — yet to begin in earnest.
Hamas issued a statement on Sunday “strongly condemning” Israel’s decision to delay the prisoner release, describing it as a “clear breach” of the ceasefire deal and a “deliberate attempt” by Netanyahu to undermine the accord.
“We demand that the [international] mediators . . . assume their responsibilities and put pressure on the occupation to implement the agreement and release the prisoners without any delay,” the statement added.