Palestinian president cuts contact with Israel after military operation at refugee camp | Abroad

The Israelis see the refugee camp as a terrorist stronghold and regularly carry out raids. Some 14,000 refugees live close together and there are many militant groups.

In the night from Sunday to Monday, Israel deployed hundreds of soldiers to the area who were engaged in firefights. At least eight Palestinians have been killed. According to Palestinian information, about 50 people were also injured. The condition of ten injured is said to be critical. The Israeli army also carries out airstrikes on Jenin, in the north of the West Bank.

In response, Abbas cut off contact and security talks with Israel, Reuters news agency reported on the basis of a statement from his office. The decision is said to have been made after consultation with the other members of his government. Abbas has also broken talks with Israel on several occasions.

Israeli forces reported earlier on Monday that the operation in Jenin may continue for days. “It can take hours or days. We are focused on our goals,” said an army spokesman. The Israelis are said to have started the big raid, because the number of attacks by Palestinians has increased in recent weeks. The target of the operation would include a weapons depot. According to the Jenin city government, the Israelis drove into the refugee camp with bulldozers and cut off the water supply.

Two weeks ago, three Palestinians were also killed near Jenin, then by an Israeli drone attack. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed the lives of 182 Palestinians, 25 Israelis, 1 Ukrainian and 1 Italian this year, according to a count from the AFP news agency.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers now live in settlements illegal under international law. CNN calls it Israel’s largest military operation in Jenin since 2002.