Israeli military set for extended stay in West Bank

It issues order to fight Palestinian militant groups in refugee camps in flashpoint cities

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JENIN, West Bank/JERUSALEM - Israel sent tanks into the occupied West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years on Feb. 23 as it ordered the military to prepare for an "extended stay" to fight Palestinian militant groups in the area's refugee camps.

The move came as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza hit new hurdles after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a stop to the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees due to be freed under the truce, in retaliation for public displays of Israeli hostages handed over in exchange in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled from their homes in the West Bank over the past month as the military has moved into the refugee camps of flashpoint cities like Jenin and Tulkarm, cracking down on Iranian-backed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The camps, housing descendants of Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes in the 1948 war around the birth of the state of Israel, have been strongholds of the militant groups for decades.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said around 40,000 Palestinians had been moved from the camps, which he said were now