In the wake of a four-day-long Israeli military operation, the first families have begun fleeing the Jenin camp, which was sealed off during the intense fighting. Reports indicate that clashes erupted in the central Damaj neighborhood, known for its strong armed group presence, as well as near the camp entrances. Under the constant buzz of military drones and amidst the presence of Israeli army vehicles, several women and children could be seen making their way out of the camp.

Oruba Shalabi, visibly distressed and holding her two-month-old daughter, shared the harrowing experiences they endured while trapped inside the camp. She recounted how they were fired upon and had grenades thrown at their homes, resulting in extensive damage. Seeking refuge in the kitchen, they shouted to inform the assailants that there was a baby present. Oruba then went to the doorstep, pleading with them about the terrified children and the suffocating smoke. She described how they were given just two minutes to evacuate, undergoing phone and ID checks and being forced to stand in the scorching sun for half an hour before being instructed to proceed forward.

Accompanied by her mother, aunt, sister, and niece, Oruba walked out on foot, leaving everything behind. This was their first escape from their home since Tuesday night. The camp had been devoid of electricity and water, and anyone approaching windows risked being shot at. Neighbors were forcefully evacuated, and everyone was confined to a single room. Young men were made to sit on the floor, their hands bound.

The intensity of the fighting in Jenin escalated on Saturday, with reports from the Palestinian Red Crescent indicating the presence of at least two bodies that they were unable to retrieve. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that one of them was an elderly man. Unverified reports suggest Israeli army casualties, with the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade claiming their fighters engaged in an ambush in Damaj.

Israel's ongoing military operation, which initially involved incursions into various cities and refugee camps in the north of the occupied West Bank, has now zeroed in on Jenin, as troops withdrew from Tulkarem and Tubas. In the early hours of Friday morning, the Israeli army claimed to have killed Wissam Khazem, the alleged leader of Hamas in Jenin, along with two other wanted men involved in shooting attacks. The operation continues, with Israeli forces venturing deep into the camp for house-to-house searches of wanted individuals.

Israel asserts that the operation serves the purpose of counter-terrorism, aiming to dismantle armed Palestinian groups believed to have backing from Iran. Recent security concerns in Israel, triggered by a foiled bomb attack in Tel Aviv, have heightened fears of renewed suicide attacks in Israeli cities. Overnight, two attempted attacks on settlements in the southern part of the West Bank were reported by Israel's army, with the ongoing Jenin operation aimed at preventing such incidents, according to the Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi.

As tensions over the Gaza War persist and military incursions into the West Bank become routine, both sides are witnessing shifts in attitudes and tactics. The risk looms that this escalating conflict could resort to even more perilous measures, pushing the situation into an unprecedented phase.

According to the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah, the total death toll across the West Bank has reached 20. Disturbingly, among those killed are children, as lamented by Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency dealing with Palestinian refugees.

As the situation remains fluid, the fate of Jenin camp and its residents hangs in the balance, as the relentless search for wanted individuals continues, and the reverberations of this operation are felt across the occupied territories.