JENIN (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Hamas Movement has condemned the Israeli occupation army’s bombing of dozens of homes in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank on Sunday, describing it as “Israeli insistence on committing war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people.”
In a statement on Sunday evening, Hamas pointed out that such crimes happen in the midst of ongoing international silence and the absence of accountability for Israeli war criminals.
“The occupation’s ongoing crimes in Jenin and its destruction of homes will not break our Palestinian people’s will, but will increase the resistance’s steadfastness in the face of its brutal aggression,” Hamas said.
Hamas stressed the need for more resistance operations in the West Bank to confront such Israeli escalation that targets the Palestinian existence.
“Our people will not surrender to the Zionist machine of destruction and rampage,” the Movement said.
It called on the Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to shoulder their historical responsibilities towards the Palestinian people and “work on putting an end to Israel’s crimes that pour fuel on the fire in the region and threaten international peace and security.”
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) blew up at least 21 buildings comprised of 80 apartments or housing units in different neighborhoods of Jenin camp on Sunday.
Sounds of resounding explosions were heard clearly across the camp and neighboring West Bank areas, while thick columns of smoke were seen billowing up over a vast area following the blasts, according to footage circulated by news outlets.
Local sources said that Jenin camp is currently empty of residents after the IOF forced them to leave their homes during its ongoing military operation, which started 13 days ago.
The sources added that the IOF started in the morning to place explosive barrels in a number of buildings in different neighborhoods of Jenin camp.
Al Jazeera Arabic correspondents said the explosions blew up a residential block in the camp’s ad-Damj neighborhood.
There were no reports about casualties as a result of the widespread destruction of homes in the camp.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Israeli army claimed that 23 buildings were destroyed on Sunday in Jenin, adding that Israeli forces had killed 50 Palestinian fighters in the West Bank since mid-January.
The Israeli army also announced its intent to blow up more residential blocks in Jenin camp and expand its military operation in the northern West Bank.
