The office of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas condemned an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” on Monday. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli forces have killed 70 people in the territory this year, with 10 children, one woman, and two elderly individuals among the victims.
A spokesperson for the presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, stated that the Palestinian leadership condemned the Israeli authorities' actions, which they believe aim to forcibly displace Palestinians and carry out ethnic cleansing. The ministry confirmed that these people were killed by the Israeli occupation forces.
The figures showed that 38 people were killed in Jenin, and 15 in Tubas in the northern West Bank, with one death reported in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem.
The Israeli military launched a large-scale operation on January 21 in the West Bank, specifically targeting Palestinian armed groups in the Jenin area. The operation, which has continued into February, has resulted in the deaths of over 50 individuals, according to the Israeli army.
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, Palestinian officials called for intervention from the U.S. administration to halt the ongoing Israeli actions. Netanyahu's visit coincides with talks about a potential second phase of the Israel-Hamas truce agreement. This next phase may include discussions on the release of remaining hostages and a more permanent resolution to the ongoing conflict.
