RAMALLAH, Palestine

Jenin Mayor Nidal al-Obaidi has declared the northern West Bank city a “disaster area” amid an ongoing Israeli military operation in the territory.

Speaking to Anadolu on Wednesday, al-Obaidi said the Israeli army is working to divide Jenin by bulldozing its streets and infrastructure.

"The Israeli army is continuing to destroy the infrastructure in Jenin and its camp," he added.

The Israeli army last week launched its largest military operation in the northern West Bank in two decades, killing at least 33 people and causing massive destruction.

“Jenin is a disaster-stricken city, it looks like an earthquake had struck the city,” the mayor said. “Main streets were destroyed and electricity and water networks were cut off."

He said the Israeli army had separated the city’s neighborhoods from each other, estimating the losses at some 50 million shekels ($13.5 million) since the start of the Israeli operation.

“Our losses are estimated at around 100 million shekels ($27 million) since Oct. 7, 2023,” he added. “The Israeli offensive is still ongoing and this means more destruction and killings.”

Tension has been running high across the occupied West Bank as Israel pressed ahead with its brutal onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7 last year.

At least 685 people have since been killed and more than 5,700 injured by Israeli fire in the West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.

The escalation followed a landmark opinion by the International Court of Justice on July 19 that declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar