Israel's minister advocates 'all-out force' to target West Bank Palestinians

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday said the military should use its "full strength" to strike at Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank, where a sweeping military operation has killed dozens.

"In the face of the resurgence of terrorism, we are eradicating terrorist organisations throughout Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)," Gallant said in a statement issued by his ministry.

"These terrorist organisations that have various names, whether in Nur al-Shams, Tulkarem, Faraa or Jenin, must be wiped out," he said, referring to cities and refugee camps where an Israeli military operation is currently underway.

"Every terrorist must be eliminated, and if they surrender, they must be arrested. There is no other option, use all the forces, everyone who is needed, with full strength."

Gallant, speaking after meeting officers to assess the operation, compared the campaign against the militants to "mowing" a lawn.

"Essentially, we are mowing the grass, but the time will come when we will also uproot the roots, and that must be done," he said.

The Israeli defence minister said he had ordered the military to carry out air strikes "wherever necessary" in order to "avoid endangering soldiers".

On August 28, Israeli forces launched simultaneous raids across the northern West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem.

The raids have so far left dead at least 30 Palestinians, including militants, and wounded 140, according to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry.

Nineteen have been killed in Jenin governorate, seven in Tulkarem and four in Tubas, it said.

In recent days, the focus of Israeli raids has been in and around Jenin city, a known militant hub.

On Wednesday, an AFP journalist in Jenin saw empty streets, with residents leaving their homes only to purchase necessities.

The streets were strewn with the rubble of overturned asphalt as armoured military vehicles rumbled past.

Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp -- where army bulldozers destroyed infrastructure -- have long been a bastion of Palestinian armed groups fighting against Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

The military carries out regular incursions into Palestinian population centres, but such operations are rarely conducted simultaneously as in the northern West Bank since last week.

Violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas's October 7 attack triggered war in the Gaza Strip, which is separated from the West Bank by Israeli territory.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 661 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

At least 23 Israelis, including soldiers and police officers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.