Israeli occupation forces lay siege to Tulkarm hospitals amid wide-scale military offensive

The Israeli occupation forces launched a wide-scale military offensive in the city of Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank last night, besieging hospitals and blocking movement of Palestinians into and out of the city.

According to Palestinian news agency (WAFA), the occupation’s military vehicles stationed around the Al-Israa Specialized Hospital in the western neighborhood and the Shahid Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital. The forces imposed a blockade that hindered ambulance movements.

The occupation forces spread through various neighborhoods and intersections of the city, including Nablus Street, the Iktaba Roundabout, the Rashid neighborhood in the Thanabeh area, and the Nur Shams refugee camp. There was a significant presence of infantry and snipers in the surrounding fields and farms, accompanied by low-flying reconnaissance drones, WAFA added.

Additionally, the Israeli forces deployed four heavy bulldozers supported by other military vehicles into the city. The bulldozers also razed infrastructure and water networks around the Al-Alami Roundabout, closing the area with earthen barriers. They further damaged the area around the Younis Roundabout in the northern part of Tulkarm.

A drone strike further targeted a location in the Al-Manshiya neighborhood of the Nur Shams camp, resulting in injuries to civilians. The exact number of casualties remains unknown due to the ongoing siege by Israeli forces, which has obstructed ambulance access to the camp.

The Israeli occupation announced Tuesday a wide-scale military offensive in several areas of the occupied West Bank.