Defense minister: Israel ‘won’t let the West Bank become Gaza or southern Lebanon’

Israel “will not let the West Bank become Gaza or southern Lebanon,” Defense Minister Israel Katz vows during an assessment of military and security operations in the area from senior officers.

“Anyone who engages in terror like in Gaza will be treated like in Gaza; we will work to cut off the arms of the Iranian octopus in the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria and to maintain the security of the communities and residents,” the defense minister adds, according to a statement from his office.

Katz was updated on the IDF’s extensive operation over the weekend in Qabatiya, near Jenin, Border Police operations in West Bank refugee camps, and the recent operation that culminated in the arrest of a terrorist cell last night that was en route to carry out a shooting attack.

Since October 7, troops have arrested some 6,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,350 affiliated with Hamas.

According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 835 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or terrorists carrying out attacks.

During the same period, 46 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another six members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank.