Hamas says ‘Israel’ aims to “crush” Palestinians after new West Bank op

• Hamas denounced the new ‘Israeli’ military operation in the northern West Bank as a systematic criminal policy aimed at crushing Palestinian presence.
• The group stated the operation, which includes a siege, curfews, and arrests, is part of a plan for complete control over the West Bank.

Hamas issued a statement condemning the ‘Israeli’ military’s launch of a new military operation in the northern West Bank.

Hamas stated that the operation, and the accompanying siege, curfew, incursions, searches, and arrests, "reveals the extent of the systematic criminality practiced by the extremist [Israeli] government," which the group characterized as a "declared policy aimed at crushing any Palestinian presence until complete control is achieved over the West Bank."

Earlier today, the ‘Israeli’ military announced today, in a joint statement with the Shin Bet and the Border Police, that they have started a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank area.

The statement claimed that the ‘Israeli’ military and Shin Bet forces "will not allow militants to take root in the area" and are working proactively to "thwart and prevent what they described as 'terrorist activities.'"

Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee confirmed that the forces began the extensive operation overnight Wednesday.

The ‘Israeli’ military began an operation dubbed "Iron Wall" earlier in January this year, targeting refugee camps in the northern West Bank.

That campaign resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from three camps in Tulkarem and Jenin.

In a report published last week, Human Rights Watch stated that 32,000 Palestinians remain internally displaced due to the ‘Israeli’ operation.

Violence in the West Bank, which ‘Israel’ has occupied since 1967, escalated sharply after Oct. 7, 2023.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by ‘Israeli’ forces and settlers since the war began.