Israeli army raids West Bank city of Jenin

By Qais Omar Darwesh and Omar Hamdi Yildiz

JENIN (AA) - The Israeli army on Thursday raided the city of Jenin in the north of the occupied West Bank.

“A large Israeli military force entered the city of Jenin from several points,” witnesses told Anadolu.

Palestinian youth tried to prevent the raid, however, the Israeli Army responded with live and rubber bullets, witnesses added.

The Israeli forces detained Khaled al-Hajj, a Hamas member, before leaving the city.

One person was injured during the raid, according to information received from the Ibn Sina hospital in the region.

In a dramatic escalation of Mideast tensions, Israeli forces have launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air, which Hamas said was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

In response to Hamas' actions, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi