US says Israel has to conduct operations 'consistent' with international law amid Jenin raid

Israel must conduct its military operations "consistent with international humanitarian law," the State Department said Thursday in response to Anadolu's questions about an ongoing raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

"Israel, of course, has the right to carry out legitimate counterterrorism activities, but they need to do so in a way that is consistent with international humanitarian law," spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters. "They need to do so in a way that minimizes any harm to civilians, and that's what we expect of them whenever they carry out these types of operations."

Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, told Anadolu that the Israeli military imposed a full siege on the city's refugee camp and is "targeting everything" there.

He said public and private buildings as well as main and subsidiary roads in the city were bulldozed by Israeli forces. Israeli forces have also imposed a siege around the Jenin Government Hospital, al-Rub said.

"The Israeli authorities have officially informed the Palestinian Civil Liaison, a contact point with Israel, to prevent the entry or exit of any citizen from the Jenin camp until further notice," he added.

According to witnesses, several houses and shops were searched by Israeli forces, while at least one person was detained.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after an attack led by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed under 1,200 people.

At least 543 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 5,200 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.