Israeli army sets fire to Palestinian homes in Jenin as assault continues for 3rd day

“Five homes were set ablaze in the Al-Ghaber neighborhood in Jenin camp,” an eyewitness told Anadolu.

The attack came as the army continued its military operation for the third day in a row in Jenin, killing at least 12 people and injuring 40 others.

An Israeli military statement said that the operation in Jenin, code-named "Iron Wall," is expected to last several days.

Israeli media said the Jenin assault is part of a political maneuver by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to appease far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who opposed the recent Gaza ceasefire. Reports suggest that Netanyahu promised the attack to prevent Smotrich from resigning, which could collapse the government.

Tension has been running high across the occupied West Bank due to Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, where nearly 47,300 victims have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 111,400 injured since Oct. 7, 2023.

At least 873 Palestinians have since been killed and over 6,700 injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, suspending the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave.

In July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.