Israeli forces extended a major military operation into its second day in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, on December 27, 2025, following a deadly car-ramming and stabbing attack in northern Israel that killed two Israelis the previous day. The offensive involves dozens of military vehicles, bulldozers, snipers on rooftops, and reported helicopter fire, with a curfew imposed and main roads sealed.
Local sources described around 44 military vehicles and bulldozers entering Qabatiya, deploying soldiers across streets, closing entrances, and damaging infrastructure, including bulldozing roads and destroying home contents during raids. Forces arrested the father and brother of the alleged attacker, interrogated family members, and detained several residents. Videos circulated showing released detainees with hands tied.
The operation was ordered by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz after Friday's attack in Beit She'an and Afula, where a Palestinian from Qabatiya allegedly rammed pedestrians, killing a 68-year-old man and injuring others, then stabbed a 19-year-old woman fatally near Ein Harod. The attacker was shot and wounded by a civilian. Katz vowed "forceful" action against "terror hubs" in Qabatiya.
Residents called the measures "collective punishment," with reports of mass arrests, home takeovers for military use, and forced evacuations. The incursion follows heightened West Bank raids amid the Gaza conflict.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with thousands injured and detained, according to Palestinian health authorities and human rights groups. The International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion declared Israel's occupation unlawful, calling for settlement evacuation.
The ongoing violence underscores persistent tensions in the occupied territories.
