Fragile Gaza ceasefire faces threat from West Bank war

Palestinians and Israelis have barely had time to process the end of a ruinous 15-month war before Israel launched a ‘major counter-terrorism’ operation. Bel Trew reports from Jenin where a new conflict could put the peace deal at risk

- Bel Trew

Against the sporadic drumbeat of explosions, an electric buggy riddled with bullet holes ferries the elderly and their bags across the ravaged territory that is now the main way out of Jenin and its refugee camp.

Behind them, Palestinian families carry their children and suitcases along the dirt road bulldozed by the Israeli military in their operation they say is against militants in the occupied West Bank city.

Among them is eight-year-old Asmaa, in a pink jumper, clutching a baby goat she says her family rescued on their way out. A little ahead is Lutifyeh, a mother-of-12 in her sixties, who says they all fled after Israeli drones fitted with speakers that morning ordered them to leave immediately.

“The refugee camp is empty. We have no place to go. There was bombing and bulldozers as we came out,” Lutifyeh says, in tears. “My family has been here since 1948, for 70 years. We have no place but this house. Where shall we go? There is nothing there. I’m afraid that, yes, there is a ceasefire in Gaza but there is a new war here.”

Families in Gaza and those of the hostages from Israel celebrated a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group, hoping it would herald an end to a ruinous 15-month conflict, the return of hostages and detainees, and maybe even usher in a permanent peace.

But just three days into the agreement, Israel announced the start of a “major counter-terrorism” operation in northern parts of the occupied West Bank. The focus is Jenin and its refugee camp, which has increasingly become a stronghold for Palestinian militants loyal to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad but is also home to thousands of civilians.