Jenin Siege during "Operation Summer Camp"

Jenin Siege during "Operation Summer Camp":

• Launched on Aug. 28, 2024, by Israel, it is the largest military invasion in the northern West Bank in over two decades.

• The Israeli troops withdrawed after 10 days (On September 6) of occupation and siege conducting to the destruction of the main infrastructuee of the Camp.

• The operation focuses on Jenin, with simultaneous actions in other cities like Tubas, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarem.

• Israel justifies the operation as a fight against Palestinian resistance groups like the Jenin Brigades.

• On September 9, it was reported that the Palestinian Authority (PA) agreed to a new security deal with Israel that would see its National Security Forces working alongside the IDF in the West Bank to counter militancy when the Israeli operation concludes.

Civilian Infrastructure Destroyed:

Israeli forces heavily damaged civilian infrastructure in Jenin refugee camp, described as a form of collective punishment.Bulldozers and armored vehicles destroyed homes, streets, and markets. 70% of camp streets and surrounding areas were bulldozed. The refugee camp has been turned into a battlefield, forcing residents to stay indoors.

• The operation led to the internal displacement of over 1,000 Palestinian families. Most of these displaced have since returned, however at least 74 households, comprising 297 people, including 102 children, remain displaced from 45 houses, which are now uninhabitable. As of 8 September, at least 1,900 housing units had been damaged.

• Approximately 25 kilometres (70 per cent) of the city’s roads and the underlying water and sewage networks were bulldozed, severely impacting the safety of movement and access to essential services of water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and markets. As a result, since 28 August, water has been cut to approximately 35,000 residents of the camp and its surrounding neighbourhoods, who have also experienced sewage overflows.

Siege on Jenin:

The siege blocked access to essential resources like water, food, and medicine. Civilians, including children, the elderly, and the chronically ill, have been trapped inside without help. Some women and children managed to escape at gunpoint, while men and boys were detained.

Mass Arrests and Human Rights Violations:

• Israeli forces carried out mass arrests of men and boys, including 72-year-old Khayriyeh Khrayneh’s family members. Her husband (a diabetic) and eldest son (a cancer patient) were arrested despite needing medical care.

• Eyewitnesses described brutal tactics: Palestinian detainees were used as human shields, and attack dogs were unleashed on families.

• Journalists and media correspondants are systematically threatened by Israeli vehicles or reckless shooting.

Blocking Medical Access:

• Access to hospitals and medical facilities was severely restricted. In Jenin, Israeli forces surrounded both Jenin Governmental Hospital and Ibn Sina Hospital, blocking ambulances and hindering medical teams.

• Ambulances were denied entry to the camp, and paramedics were shot at, preventing the retrieval of bodies.PRCS has expressed deep concern over the shrinking humanitarian space, particularly in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp. According to PRCS, Israeli forces have directly targeted their ambulances, injuring two Emergency Medical Team (EMT) members and a volunteer doctor. These obstructions have hindered the delivery of essential supplies and medical services, worsening conditions for civilians.

• The main hospital in Jenin was put under lockdown by Israeli Border Police, turning the surrounding area into a "closed military zone."

• Even when ambulances were allowed through, they were stopped, and patients were forced to show ID before being admitted.

Deaths and Casualties:

• An 83-year-old man, Tawfiq Qandeel, was shot by Israeli forces and left to die without medical help. His body was later run over by military vehicles.

• Three Palestinian children were killed when their vespa was bombed while delivering bread to the residents of Jenin.

-In Kafr Dan, Jenin refugee camp, and on the eastern side of Jenin, the operation resulted in 19 Palestinian fatalities, 58 injuries, and at least 44 Palestinians arrested, along with significant damage to civilian infrastructure, residential, and livelihood shelters.

Brutality of Military Tactics:

• The operation in Jenin involved anti-tank rifle grenades destroying civilian infrastructure, sporadic gunfire, and drones flying overhead (likely for surveillance or attacks).

• Civilians described widespread fear and destruction, with Israeli soldiers using homes as military outposts and placing snipers on rooftops.

Worsening Humanitarian Crisis:

• The Israeli military siege left Jenin and nearby cities under curfew, with road closures and checkpoints stifling movement for both residents and journalists.

• Palestinians were unable to access basic necessities like flour and baby food due to the complete lockdown of the city.

• Medical staff, such as nurses, reported being unable to go home for days due to the danger posed by the military operation.

Israeli Justification:

Israeli military leadership stated their intention to target Palestinian armed resistance, stating they would move "from city to city, refugee camp to refugee camp." But despite their claims of targeting militants, the majority of the casualties were civilians, deepening resentment among the Palestinian population and increasing support for resistance groups.

Collective Punishment and Civilian Displacement:

Civilians in Jenin reported feeling that the military operations were designed to push them out of their homes. Jenin’s residents are increasingly describing the siege as an effort to depopulate the area. Residents drew comparisons between the treatment of Jenin and Gaza, seeing the same tactics of displacement and destruction being used in both regions.