Jenin Mayor Estimates $135 Million in Damages from Israeli Military Operation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The mayor of Jenin, Nidal al-Obaidi, likened the ongoing Israeli military operation in the northern occupied West Bank city to an "earthquake," estimating the damages at approximately 500 million shekels ($135.2 million).
"The greatest loss is in the lives of the martyrs. On a material level, the destruction caused by Israeli forces is immense, including the damage to infrastructure, such as the destruction of water and communication lines and the targeting of electricity transformers," Nidal al-Obaidi told Anadolu.
"The scale of destruction surpasses that of previous operations, with damages estimated at around 500 million shekels ($135.2 million)," he stated following the Israeli offensive in the city of Jenin, its eastern neighborhood, and refugee camp.
Describing the situation in the eastern neighborhood and the camp, the mayor said it was "as if an earthquake has struck the city—massive destruction, streets torn apart, homes demolished, and others blown up."
Obaidi accused the Israeli army of "deliberately sabotaging and destroying the city," noting that the operation has persisted for five consecutive days, with new destruction occurring daily.
He further emphasized that the military operation has "paralyzed public and economic life," adding that residents faced extremely difficult conditions, with a severe shortage of essential supplies in the eastern neighborhood and the camp due to the ongoing siege.
Since Wednesday, the Israeli army has launched its largest military operation in the northern West Bank since 2002. Large forces have stormed the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, along with their refugee camps and the Fara camp near Tubas. The army withdrew from the Fara camp early Thursday morning and from Tulkarm later that evening.
However, operations in Jenin continue, with the Israeli army deploying armored forces, supported by air power, to the city. The operation has resulted in the deaths of at least 26 Palestinians, according to Israeli military sources.
Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank amid a brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 40,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7 last year.
At least 674 Palestinians have been killed, nearly 5,400 others injured, and over 10,300 arrested in the occupied territory, according to Palestinian figures.
On July 19, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion declaring Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.