Gallant: Goals of Jenin op fully achieved, most gunmen fled or hid among civilians

In a briefing to reporters, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says the goals of the two-day Israeli operation in the Jenin refugee camp were “fully achieved” and was “not the final word as far as we’re concerned.”

Gallant argues the military is restoring its freedom to operate in the city with smaller forces and ending its status as a sanctuary for gunmen: “It may take another round or two, but the situation today is not the one we faced at the start of the week.”

“We brought down the terror factory that was built in Jenin. These were many dozens of sites that hosted bomb workshops, labs, weapons caches, as well as security means guarding the entrances to the camp,” he says.

“As of this morning, the IDF and Shin Bet have [greater] freedom to act in Jenin.”

Gallant adds that “at the moment of truth, the terrorists in Jenin chose to hide or flee… These are gunmen fighting for money or to show their friends that they’re heroes. Most left, and those who stayed hid within the civilian population, including in hospitals and places with children. I think this testifies most of all to their cowardice.”

Looking forward, he warns Israel will “use any force necessary in any specific location or in the entire refugee camp” to counter terrorism and notes that “we have the capability to copy this to other locations.”

Gallant asserts that significant funds for armed activity in the city are Iranian as part of a continuous effort “to promote terror” in the West Bank.