Crystal Dike
The Israeli military on Wednesday announced the launch of a new “counterterrorism” operation in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
In a joint statement, the Israeli army and the internal security service said they had “begun operating as part of a broad counterterrorism operation in the area of northern Samaria,” using the biblical term Israel applies to parts of the West Bank.
Responding to an inquiry from AFP, the army clarified that the latest operation is separate from the major counterterrorism campaign it launched in January 2025, which has largely focused on Palestinian refugee camps.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has witnessed a sharp escalation in violence since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. The violence has persisted despite a fragile truce that came into effect in Gaza on October 10.
According to an AFP tally based on figures from the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the war. The casualties include militants as well as civilians.
Israeli authorities, on their part, say at least 44 Israelis — including soldiers and civilians — have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.