Jerusalem: Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas commander in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, continuing a prolonged military campaign against militant groups that has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
According to the Israeli military, the operation targeted Aysar al-Saadi, the leader of Hamas’ network in Jenin. Al-Saadi was killed in a gunfight along with another Hamas operative, while three additional members of the group were arrested, the military reported.
Hamas, the Gaza-based militant organization that has also expanded its influence in the occupied West Bank, confirmed al-Saadi’s death but emphasized that it would not deter its ongoing conflict with Israel.
The West Bank operation, which began in January after a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Egypt temporarily halted fighting in Gaza, marks one of the most extensive Israeli military campaigns in the region in years. The offensive follows a sharp escalation in violence since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023.
Israeli forces have conducted large-scale sweeps through refugee camps in Jenin, as well as in northern West Bank cities like Tulkarm and Tubas. These raids have led to the demolition of homes and infrastructure, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee with only what they could carry.
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On Tuesday, Israeli troops advanced from the now-empty Jenin refugee camp into the city’s eastern areas, cutting power supplies and tearing up roads. The military maintains that it does not forcibly remove civilians but facilitates the voluntary departure of residents from combat zones through designated crossings.
Palestinians, however, argue that the operations—marked by power and water cuts and widespread destruction of homes—leave them with no option but to flee.
