'A civil war' Palestinian Authority raid has West Bank in fear

PA battles militant groups as it seeks to prove it could handle governing the Gaza Strip when the war there ends

- Bethan McKernan and Sufian Taha JENIN

Amid the echo of gunfire and explosions, 23-yearold Mariam picked her way through puddles on the unpaved streets of the refugee camp adjacent to the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, determined to get to a university class.

A sniper believed to be part of the Palestinian Authority (PA) forces shot and killed her friend, 22-year-old journalism student Shatha al-Sabbagh, last month. Mariam said she was always afraid to leave the house, but an unprecedented PA operation on armed militant groups in the camp has entered its second month. Her family has decided to try to preserve as much of their normal routine as they can.

"My mum is a teacher, and my sister studies with me. It's not possible to go out every day. When we do, we risk our lives, and for what? This is basically a civil war, Palestinians killing Palestinians," she said.

Jenin's refugee camp, one of 19 across the West Bank built in the aftermath of Israel's creation in 1948 to house displaced Palestinians, has always been an important centre of armed Palestinian resistance to the occupation. It is no stranger to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations, which have increased in scale and scope since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.

The new PA raid on the camp is the largest operation the western-backed governing body has undertaken in the 30 years since it was formed.