Farrukh Abadi
Israel’s assault on the West Bank continues into its second month, as its genocidal Operation Iron Wall bombards the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps—strongholds of the Palestinian armed resistance—amid a campaign aimed at annexing the West Bank. Over 60 Palestinians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced as Israel continues to level civilian infrastructure with coordinated ground and aerial assaults. In Tulkarm alone, 90% of the population has been forcibly displaced according to the Popular Committee for Tulkarm Camp Services.
Over the last few weeks, Israel has expanded an open fire policy in the West Bank, allowing its forces to shoot to kill Palestinians regardless if they are armed or suspected of being resistance fighters. Israel has also continued its terroristic practice of using Palestinians as human shields. Earlier this week, Israeli forces placed an explosive cord around the neck of an 80-year-old Palestinian man and forced him to scan buildings for explosives. After eight hours of searching, he was told to flee with his wife, only for the two of them to be shot dead shortly afterward by another Israeli battalion.
In the face of Israel’s barbaric campaign, Palestinian resistance forces have remained engaged in combat with Israeli and lackey Palestinian Authority forces across the West Bank. In the northern West Bank, resistance fighters targeted occupation forces with explosives during a raid on Thursday, while on Wednesday, an Israeli was stabbed in Jerusalem. Since the IDF launched Iron Wall, the resistance has killed multiple IDF and injured many more in its defense of the West Bank. The continued armed resistance is a testament to the heroism and endurance of Palestinian fighters, as well as the failures of US-Israel to disarm the Palestinian people, who not only continue to face down Israeli terror but foiled a month-long PA campaign that ended shortly before Israel’s latest operation.
On Thursday (02/20), three empty buses exploded in the suburbs of Tel Aviv. The Israeli government has arrested three Israelis in connection with the apparent bombings and ordered an escalation in attacks on the West Bank while issuing a gag order on coverage of the case. Israeli media reports that at least one Israeli was arrested on suspicion of transporting a Palestinian involved in the bombing. In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, analysts speculate the bus explosions are a false flag operation to build public support behind Israel’s intensified operations at a time of mounting public hatred toward the regime, which is facing a political crisis amid the ceasefire with Hamas and the resistance in Gaza.
Prisoner Exchange Remains Scheduled for Saturday
In Gaza, Netanyahu has continued to stall negotiating phase two of the ceasefire, as some Israeli politicians have been pushing to instead resume the full-scale invasion of Gaza. The second phase would see another prisoner exchange along with Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas is set to release 6 Israeli prisoners in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners—including 110 prisoners serving lengthy or life sentences—this Saturday, in what will be the 7th prisoner exchange. Hamas will release 4 more bodies next week, concluding the first phase of the ceasefire.
The exchange is set to come after Hamas released the bodies of 4 Israeli prisoners of war on Thursday that had been killed by Israeli forces during its latest campaign in Gaza. One of these, belonging to Shiri Bibas, was claimed by Israel to not be the correct body. Hamas has stated that her remains may have been mingled with other bodies killed in an airstrike ordered by Netanyahu, and that they will conduct a full and transparent investigation to correct any error they may have made. The transfer of the coffins took place in front of a banner that read: “The War Criminal Netanyahu & His Nazi Army Killed Them With Missiles From Zionist Warplanes.”
Photo: Four coffins of Israeli remains sit on a platform in front of Palestinian resistance banners citing the genocidal crimes of Israel. Credit: QNN.
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