A car ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv left seven people wounded before the suspect was shot dead, on the second day of Israel’s largest military operation in years in the occupied West Bank.
Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, praised the attack as a “heroic” response to what they deemed as “crimes against our people in the Jenin camp.” The Israeli forces had conducted a “counterterrorism” operation in Jenin, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals.
Israeli police stated that the driver in Tel Aviv intentionally targeted pedestrians with his vehicle before exiting and proceeding to stab civilians with a sharp object.
The assailant, identified as a resident of the West Bank, was subsequently shot dead by an armed passerby, according to Israeli Police Chief Yaakov Shabtai.
This attack occurred simultaneously with the ongoing military operation in the militant stronghold of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, which has resulted in the deaths of 10 Palestinians, the arrest of over 100 individuals, and the displacement of thousands from their homes.
The operation in Jenin, codenamed “Home and Garden,” involved hundreds of troops, army bulldozers, and drone strikes. It marked the most extensive raid in the past five years, leaving the international community concerned and prompting the Palestinian administration to suspend contacts with Israel. The United States and the United Nations have expressed humanitarian concerns regarding the situation.
The objective of the operation in Jenin’s refugee camp was to dismantle Iranian-backed Palestinian factions involved in a surge of gun and bomb attacks, as well as in the initial stages of rocket production.
Casualties continue to rise, with the Palestinian health ministry reporting 10 deaths, around 100 wounded, and 20 individuals in critical condition. Shops in Jenin remained closed due to a general strike, and the streets were filled with debris and burned roadblocks.
The Israeli army claimed to have discovered militant hideouts and an underground shaft for storing explosives during their “counterterrorism activities.” While they apprehended 120 Palestinian suspects, they estimated that around 300 armed terrorists were still hiding in Jenin.
Despite their intention not to remain in the camp, Israeli forces are prepared for prolonged fighting if necessary.
The recent escalation of violence in the northern West Bank has seen attacks on Israelis and instances of Jewish settler violence against Palestinians. The situation has worsened over the past year, particularly under the coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which includes extreme-right allies.
As tensions continue to escalate, Palestinians are calling the events “an open war against the people of Jenin.” Thousands of individuals have fled their homes in the Jenin refugee camp, seeking shelter in schools and other facilities.
The United Nations expressed deep concern over the violence, highlighting the disruption of water and electricity services to large areas of the refugee camp. They called for the respect of international humanitarian law.
While the United States acknowledged Israel’s right to defend its people against terrorist groups, they also urged the protection of civilians.
The situation remains volatile, with protests near the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip border and ongoing unrest in the West Bank.
As the conflict persists, the international community faces mounting challenges in bringing stability to the region and renewing peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, who seek an independent state and the dismantling of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.
Since the beginning of the year, at least 188 Palestinians, 25 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian have lost their lives, reflecting the tragic toll of the ongoing violence in the region.
