Israeli army launches new military operation in West Bank, Fatah announces response

A military spokesman said the Israeli army has launched a military operation in the northern occupied West Bank. The operation began in the early hours of Wednesday (28), local time, corresponding to Tuesday night (27) in Brazil. Palestinian health authorities reported that at least nine people were killed.

Escalation of violence in the West Bank

According to the Israeli press, the operation aims to capture criminals and eliminate infrastructure used by terrorists. On the other hand, the Al-Jazeera TV network reported that Israeli soldiers invaded three refugee camps, where exchanges of fire occurred.

Fatah, the ruling faction in the West Bank, said on Wednesday that it had launched an operation in response to Israel's action, as reported by the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the Palestinian group's armed wing operating in the area. A major military operation in the occupied West Bank, carried out by Israeli military vehicles, surrounded the Al Israel Special Hospital and Thabet Hospital, blocking ambulances.

Two days after an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank killed five Palestinians, the Palestinian authority said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said two men, aged 25 and 39, were killed in Jenin by Israeli forces.

The war in the Gaza Strip has led to more violence in the West Bank. The AFP news agency says 640 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the area since October 7, 2023, citing reports from local authorities. At least 19 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period by Israeli authorities.

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_{Image of an Israeli tank (Photo: reproduction/Getty Images Embed/Kolderal)}

Fatah: history and current affairs

Fatah, the largest political party in Palestine with a military branch, was founded by members of the Palestinian diaspora in 1959 in Kuwait. Fatah is a nationalist, secular group that is the most prominent faction in the Palestinian liberation movement operating in the West Bank. Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas are Fatah's most prominent leaders.

Fatah and Hamas are the two main Palestinian factions that have fought for centuries. Fatah recognizes Israel and advocates a two-state solution, while Hamas does not. Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian groups signed an agreement in July this year to bridge their divide and create a unified government for all Palestinian territories, despite the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The West Bank, sandwiched between Israel and Jordan, is one of two Palestinian territories, and it’s quite large, about as big as Washington, D.C. The West Bank is also claimed by the Palestinians as their own independent country. Although the military is in charge, about 86 percent of the people living there are Palestinians, and that’s about 3 million people, based on what the UN said in 2021.

Featured photo: Israeli battle tank (Reproduction/Getty Images Embed/Kolderal)