WEST BANK, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued on Wednesday their raids in Tulkarem and Jenin as part of their large-scale operation in the West Bank, which started eight days ago.
At least 33 Palestinians have been killed and 130 wounded since last Wednesday, August 28, the vast majority in Jenin City and its refugee camp, according to Al Jazeera satellite channel.
In Tulkarem, Israeli forces reportedly burned property and homes in Tulkarem refugee camp, especially in as-Sawalma neighborhood. Several citizens suffered from inhaling fumes.
The IOF bulldozed more infrastructure and private property across Tulkarem camp, amid drone overflights and intensive presence of snipers on rooftops of several tall buildings.
No street and alley have been left without destruction as the Israeli army’s raid on Tulkarem entered the third day, according to journalists reporting from the area.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces raided many houses in al-Balawneh neighborhood in the camp and interrogated their residents, while bulldozers blocked roads leading to the camp with mounds of dirt and rocks.
The IOF also continued to besiege the hospitals of Isra and Thabet Thabet in Tulkarem, obstructed the movement of ambulances and interrogated paramedics.
The continued Israeli operation in Tulkarem comes after Israeli forces killed three people, including a 15-year-old child on Tuesday, and destroyed more power, water and sewage networks across Tulkarem camp.
Local official Faisal Salama described the refugee camp as a “disaster area” and appealed to the international community to provide protection for the local residents and work immediately to stop Israel’s “aggressive practices, genocidal war, systematic displacement and organized terrorism” in Tulkarem.
In a separate incident, the IOF kidnaped three citizens from their homes in Kafr Jamal town and another one from Bal’ah town in Tulkarem province.
In addition, the Israeli army has retained the Jabara Bridge closed at the southern entrance of Tulkarem City for the third consecutive day, blocking vehicular traffic in both directions.
In Jenin, similar IOF practices continued to take place in Jenin and its refugee camp.
Yesterday, 16-year-old Lujain Abdul-Raouf was killed and four journalists were injured by IOF gunfire in Kafr Dan village, west of Jenin.
Resistance fighters reportedly detonated an explosive device at IOF vehicles in central Jenin, while one young man was injured by IOF gunfire in the city.
Palestinians in Jenin and its refugee camp are now struggling to secure their basic needs, including food and water, in the wake of the widespread destruction that have been caused by Israeli forces.