News - Middle East: The Gaza-based Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance movements have strongly condemned a raid by the Israeli occupation forces in the Jenin refugee camp, in which at least nine Palestinians were killed and more than a dozen injured, amid a rise in tensions across the occupied territories.

The deputy head of the political bureau of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, censured the Israeli massacre carried out against Palestinian civilians on Thursday, and promised that Israel will pay a heavy price for the deadly crime. 

“The will of our nation is stronger than the crimes of the occupying regime. Jenin, the West Bank, and its residents will remain invincible, and these crimes will only increase the strength and determination of the people to fight,” he said in a statement.

“The occupation will pay the price for the massacre it carried out in Jenin and its camp this morning, and the response of the resistance will not be delayed,” al-Arori assured.

The Hamas official also warned the Israeli regime that such an extreme behavior of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet and the intensification of attacks against Palestinians will inevitably lead the resistance front to launch a new “al-Quds sword battle” to defend its land and people.

Hamas and other resistance factions believe that Operation al-Quds Sword, which was launched in May 2021 in defense of Palestinians in occupied al-Quds, opened a new chapter in the fight against the occupying regime of Israel.

Palestinian media outlets reported that Israeli occupation forces raided the Jenin camp early on Thursday, leaving residents and popular resistance groups with no choice but to defend themselves and confront the occupation forces.

The sources pointed out that more than 70 Israeli armed vehicles stormed the flashpoint city and the neighboring refugee camp, while Israeli snipers were also deployed on rooftops and heavily armed soldiers opened fire at Palestinian youths who tried to block their way.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that so far five Palestinians have been martyred, and around 13 injured.  Among the killed were a woman and uninvolved bystanders.

The Ministry said that most of the injuries were in the head and chest, which means that the shooting of the people was intended to kill.

This comes as thousands of Palestinians took part in a funeral procession for the nine people killed by Israeli troops in the Jenin refugee camp.

For its part, the Islamic Jihad movement confirmed on Thursday that Jenin, its camps, its battalions, and its resistance fighters are the embodiment of the national will across Palestine and in the diaspora.

Dawood Shahab, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad, said in a press statement, "No matter how great the sacrifices are, and no matter how aggressive Israelis are and no matter how far they proceed in terrorizing Palestinians, the truth will surely prevail."

Meanwhile, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the ongoing Israeli incursions and attacks on occupied Palestinian cities, with the latest being Thursday’s attack on Jenin.

The ministry's spokesman, Sinan Majali, said Israel's military escalation campaign threatens an eruption of a new wave of violence, from which everyone will suffer. He urged the halt of Israel's military operations and illegal measures that undermine the so-called two-state solution and any prospects for peace.

Israeli media claimed the military operation in Jenin was launched after intelligence from the Israel’s so-called internal security service, Shin Bet, about the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement's intention to carry out a major operation against Israeli targets,” adding the “operation aimed to arrest a prominent member of the movement."

However, the Palestinian resistance movements confirm that the Israeli raid comes in the context of recent escalations that have been on the rise especially in light of the new extremist far-right cabinet headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist affiliates.

Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.

Most of the raids have focused on Nablus and Jenin, where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian resistance in the occupied cities.

More than 170 Palestinians, including at least 30 children, were killed across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem last year. In January 2023 alone, at least 38 Palestinians including five children have been killed.

Source: Press TV