Israeli Forces Kill West Bank Hamas Commander

Israeli forces kill West Bank Hamas commander

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed a Hamas commander in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as they pushed ahead with a weeks-long operation against militant groups in the area that has sent tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing their homes.

The military said it had mounted a raid to arrest Aysar al-Saadi, the head of the Hamas network in the area and killed him in a gunfight in which another Hamas operative was also killed. Three other Hamas members were arrested, it said.

The Gaza-based militant group, which has also built up a powerful presence in the occupied West Bank, confirmed the death of al-Saadi but said it would not affect its commitment to fight Israel.

The West Bank operation, which began in January as fighting was halted in Gaza following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and Egypt, has been one of the biggest mounted in the area in years and followed a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.

Thousands of Israeli troops have swept through refugee camps in Jenin and other cities in the northern part of the West Bank, including Tulkarm and Tubas, demolishing houses and infrastructure and forcing tens of thousands to leave taking only what they could carry with them.

On Tuesday, the military pushed out of the now-deserted Jenin refugee camp and into eastern areas of the city of Jenin itself, cutting off power supplies and digging up roads.

The military says it does not forcibly evacuate Palestinians but has allowed residents who want to leave combat areas to go out through designated crossings.

Palestinians say the Israeli operations, which have cut water and electricity supplies and demolished dozens of houses, leave them no choice but to leave.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Angus MacSwan)