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The IDF's ongoing operations in the northern West Bank remain unchanged for now, but forces are increasing their readiness in the sector due to the heightened volatility of the final stretch of Ramadan.
For nearly two months, the refugee camps in Jenin and Nur al-Shams in Tulkarm have been deserted. The IDF has barred thousands of Palestinian residents, including hundreds of terrorists who fled, from returning to their homes.
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IDF operations in the West Bank
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
In some cases, troops have moved into the abandoned houses, maintaining a continuous presence to secure control over the densely populated camps. However, as time passes, friction with hostile elements has diminished to nearly zero.
Troops stationed inside the camps have not encountered resistance, clashes or even riots. In the nearby cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, daily life has returned to normal and residents appear indifferent to the new reality.
"The soldiers leave the refugee camps for raids in surrounding villages and neighborhoods in Jenin and Tulkarm, though they've carried out such operations before from their regular outposts," the IDF said in a statement.
According to the military, these raids, aimed at seizing weapons such as firearms and rifles and arresting wanted individuals, can last from a few hours to half a day.
"Holding these terror strongholds for such an extended period has made it significantly harder for the enemy to regroup and rebuild their armed cells — the so-called 'katibat' — that once operated in the refugee camps and have now been dismantled,” an IDF source said.
“We've taken away their base of operations, reshaped the area and they can no longer plant explosives along the routes leading into the camps.”
Since the start of Ramadan, IDF Central Command data shows that Israeli forces have eliminated 13 terrorists in the West Bank, seized over 85 weapons, arrested approximately 170 wanted individuals and demolished four homes belonging to terrorists.
Since launching the operation in January to combat terrorism in the region, around 90 terrorists have been killed and more than 300 weapons have been confiscated. Currently, two battalions from the Kfir Brigade are securing the two refugee camps but they may soon be redeployed to support the major ground operation the IDF is preparing in Gaza.
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In such a scenario, the military is weighing whether to replace them with two other battalions inside the Palestinian territory or temporarily abandon the concept of maintaining a continuous presence in the camps, opting instead to conduct raids from IDF outposts.
The ongoing shortage of combat soldiers and the strain on reservists will also play a role in this decision. For now, a lone armored platoon remains stationed near Jenin at the request of Israel’s political leadership, but it may soon be reassigned to its parent regular-duty brigade, which is preparing to resume combat operations in Gaza.