Israeli forces have withdrawn from Jenin in the occupied West Bank after a 10-day siege, leaving a trail of devastation.
At least 21 people were killed in the city of Jenin and the refugee camp, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
In a statement on Facebook, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of transferring to the West Bank its brutal destruction and devastation in the Gaza Strip, as evidenced by the situation in Jenin and Tulkarem, as well as the refugee camps there.
Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen leaving the Jenin camp overnight from a checkpoint set up on one of the main roads. An Associated Press reporter at the camp saw no signs of soldiers remaining inside as of dawn Friday.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but said it would make a statement later in the day. It was unclear whether the apparent withdrawal was a temporary measure to regroup forces.
Hundreds of Israeli troops have been engaged for more than a week in what is their deadliest operation in the West Bank since Israel began its war on Gaza in October, employing what the United Nations has called “lethal warfare tactics.”
The offensive had a devastating effect on Palestinian civilians living in Jenin.
Water and electricity services were cut off, families were confined to their homes and ambulances evacuating the injured were slowed on their way to nearby hospitals.
In the calm of Friday morning, residents of Jenin took advantage of the lull to search through the rubble of destroyed buildings and assess the damage.
