The Israeli military has since initiated a sweeping counter-terrorism operation in the West Bank. They are openly gloating to target that the Palestinian town of Tubas, and coordinating with the internal security service. This unprecedented operation, which started Tuesday night, will likely last for days. If approved, this deployment would be one of the largest military movements in the region’s history. It follows the end of the humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza that started last month.
The ongoing violence in the West Bank has escalated since October 2023, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. Reports indicate that at least 44 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have lost their lives due to Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations. On the other hand, Israeli troops or settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians since the fighting began.
In Tubas, hundreds of Israeli soldiers, supported by armored vehicles, stormed the city in military raids. Their actions enforced a curfew on the town and surrounding communities. Israeli forces established earthen barricades that severed the roadways. This meant residents were often kicked out of their homes while the military was repurposing the homes to base their operations out of. Leaflets dropped by the military reportedly threatened residents with dire consequences if they remained, announcing that their village had “turned into a haven for terrorism. One leaflet ominously stated, “If you do not change this, we will act as we did in Jenin and Tulkarm.”
With the recent military escalation by Israel these conditions have deteriorated horrifically. Taken together, these actions have reportedly driven nearly 32,000 people to retreat from West Bank refugee camps. Across a very controversial campaign between January and February 2025, these displacements were done. These actions have been condemned by multiple human rights organizations as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Six years after the war ended, almost half of all displaced people are still unable to return home. Israeli forces have forcefully and deliberately – and largely illegally – demolished many of those homes.
The backdrop to these developments includes a broader conflict that erupted after Hamas and allied factions attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251 individuals to Gaza. In return, Israel launched a brutal ground invasion and aerial bombardment that has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000. This violence has persisted, including after the fragile ceasefire that was agreed at the end of last month came into effect.
Beyond military operations, Israel has struck deals in hostage situations. In response, the Israeli government announced that they would return 15 Palestinian corpses for every hostage released. As of now, only the bodies of two hostages—one Israeli and one Thai—are still in Gaza.
Later Tuesday, the Israeli military reported that six Hamas militants were killed during its current operations around Rafah. The militants “most probably” came out of a tunnel before being killed. This latest military response is part of a continuing pattern of violence and retaliation that has characterized the region’s dynamics.