Closures and Israeli raids deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis
The closure of crossings and the escalation of raids have deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
At the same time as reports said the Israeli army was preparing to expand operations in the West Bank, the closure of the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem crossings has disrupted the entry of goods and essential supplies into Gaza and worsened the humanitarian situation. The Crossings and Borders Administration in the occupied territories said Israeli authorities had shut the crossings to passenger movement and the entry of goods.
According to the administration, the move was taken on security grounds and coincided with Jewish holidays, especially the Hebrew New Year. The report said the continued closure of these crossings is making the transfer of emergency aid and basic necessities more difficult.
Alongside this situation, Israeli sources have said the country’s army is preparing for broader operations in the West Bank. Amir Boukhboot, a reporter for the Hebrew-language website Walla, said the Israeli army is seeking, in its words, to prepare for a root-and-branch response to resistance operations in the area.
This comes as Israeli security and political circles have said the level of Palestinian resistance operations in the West Bank has fallen to its lowest point since 2011. Even so, the Israeli army says it is monitoring developments that could change this situation, including rising field tensions and the possibility of clashes between forces affiliated with the Palestinian Authority and Israeli troops.
Based on the report, Israeli security bodies have also suggested that the country’s political leadership may next move toward occupying more camps in the West Bank and carrying out wider military operations.
In Hebron, Israeli forces kept the Jaber neighbourhood under siege for a second straight day and, citing the Jewish holidays, prevented Palestinian students from going to school. At the same time, raids on West Bank cities and villages also continued.
In Jenin governorate, Israeli forces raided several areas, including Silat al-Harithiya, Rummana, Deir Abu Daif, the eastern neighbourhood of Jenin city and the vicinity of al-Razi Hospital, and arrested a young man from Silat al-Harithiya. Reports said Israeli soldiers carried out acts of vandalism after entering a house in the village of Zububa, west of Jenin.
In Nablus, raids continued in Madama, Beit Dajan, Beit Furik, al-Ain camp and the New Nablus area, and a number of Palestinian homes in Madama were searched. It was also reported that Israeli settlers attacked homes belonging to residents of the al-Dhahrah area in Beita, south of Nablus.
In Ramallah, Israeli forces raided the city centre, while the settlement of Hizma, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, was also targeted. The West Bank is located east of occupied Palestine and in recent months has seen an increase in military operations, siege measures and movement restrictions for Palestinians.
