The Israeli army is intensifying its hunt for suspected Hamas hideouts hidden in Gaza’s largest hospital, after carrying out deadly nighttime raids on Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
Military tanks in Jenin
Last night the city of Jenin, located in the occupied West Bank, suffered numerous bombings by the Israeli army, whose troops penetrated the refugee camp in the city, known for its resistance to the Israeli occupation.
Clashes broke out between soldiers and armed groups. The IDF announced that it had carried out an “anti-terrorist action” and had killed “5 terrorists” in this raid, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health declared for its part “three dead and 15 injured, including four in critical condition”.
During the night from Thursday to Friday, an AFP journalist saw Israeli military vehicles enter the streets of the Jenin refugee camp, where there are nearly 18,000 and 23,000 inhabitants according to the UN, which manages it. With an area of 0.43 km2, this camp is undermined by poverty and unemployment.
The UN warns of the situation in Gaza
Since October 9, Israel has imposed a “complete siege” on the Palestinian territory, cutting off deliveries of water, electricity, food and medicine. International aid to Gaza arrives from Egypt in insufficient quantities according to the UN, which is calling in particular for the delivery of fuel to operate the generators in hospitals.
UN Agency Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, who is calling for a ceasefire, told a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland:
“We need a ceasefire. We need fuel, fuel, fuel.”
The UN official warns: “the longer we wait, the more we will see the siege take over and become the main reason why people are dying and could be killed in the Gaza Strip.”
“With winter fast approaching, precarious and overcrowded shelters, as well as lack of drinking water, civilians face an immediate risk of famine,” the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) warned on Thursday. united.
The army continues its searches in Gaza
The Israeli army continues to search the buildings of al-Chifa hospital, where thousands of civilians including patients and healthcare staff are taken hostage.
The IDF says it found in a building not far from the medical complex the body of a hostage kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attack in Israel which left 1,200 dead. Around 240 people were kidnapped that day.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, nearly 11,500 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli response.
On Thursday night, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Benny Gantz, the leader of the Israeli opposition who joined Mr. Netanyahu’s war cabinet, “about efforts aimed at increasing and accelerating the passage of essential humanitarian aid to Gaza,” according to Washington.