Israel’s offensive on Jenin, which has now been ongoing for over 14 hours, has been condemned by countries around the world, as well as raised concerns in the United Nations.
Eight people have been killed in the violent offensive so far, with officials on the ground saying that the death count is expected to grow.
Lynn Hastings, the humanitarian coordinator in Palestine for the United Nations called for access to those injured to be granted, after roadblocks and destroyed infrastructure prevented ambulances from reaching casualties.
The Jordanian foreign ministry issued a statement, saying that the offensive “constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the intervention of international bodies to stop the escalations.
The statement described the offensive as an “excessive and indiscriminate force, a flagrant violation of the provisions of international law and international legitimacy.”
Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry also condemned the military operation, saying that it was a “reckless crime” and that the “Zionist entity will be defeated this time as well.”
A number of humanitarian groups have raised concerns over the developments, with Euro-Med Monitor stating that large-scale damage to infrastructure is alarming.
“Action is needed to halt the attack and cease endangering civilians under the guise of military necessity,” they said in a tweet.
Palestinian armed group the Lions Den have issued a statement calling on people to mobilise this evening, amidst the ongoing Israeli offensive in Jenin.
The statement called on Palestinians to gather in the streets, public squares, at checkpoints, and chant for Jenin and those that were killed earlier today.
The group has called on people to gather at 7pm, to close roads and routes used by Israeli forces and settlers and any ways that are used to get their supplies into the city.
The group also announced that a number of individuals from the Lion’s Den had arrived in Jenin, and had been there since dawn today, and were “now participating in the noblest and purest battles.”
Journalists covering the offensive in Jenin have been attacked, with videos and photos shared online showing their video cameras being set on fire.
Other photos shared online to Twitter showed journalists wearing press vests holding their cameras which had been severely damaged.
According to local journalists on the ground, some of the cameras being destroyed by Israeli forces belonged to Al Araby TV staff who were on the ground covering the events.
#Israeli occupation forces besieged a number of #Palestinian journalists working with #Qatar-based Al Araby TV Network in Jenin while covering the #Israeli aggression in the Jenin refugee camp and set fire to their camera.#IsraeliTerrorism #IsraeliCrimes pic.twitter.com/ltfJx3w6k0
Palestinians have decried the move as an attempt to cover up the attacks on Palestinian civilians and to hide evidence of abuses carried out.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Monday that seven of the eight Palestinians killed by Israel in Jenin were under the age of 20, among whom three were minors.
Here are their names:
Nour Eddin Husam Marshoud, 16
Majdi Ararawi, 17
Ali Hani al-Ghoul,17
Husam Mohammad Abu Deibeh, 18
Aws Hani Hanoun, 19
Sameeh Firas Abu al-Wafa, 20
Ahmad Mohammad Amer, 21
Mohammad Muhannad al-Shami, 23
The eight #Palestinians who were killed during the Israeli military assault on the northern West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, which so far claimed the lives of seven Palestinians and the injury of dozens of others.#JeninUnderAttack #Jenin_camp #جنين_تحت_النار pic.twitter.com/ywZqdCzRcI
The Jenin municipality said Israeli soldiers have severely damaged the camps infrastructure, causing water and electricity services to cease too all neighbourhoods in the camp.
It added that Israeli forces are preventing municipality crews from repairing the main lines of the water network.
The Israeli army is preparing to storm the mosque in Jenin camp where they say 10 “terrorists” are entrenched, shooting and throwing explosive devices, according to Israeli media.
The army said they had ordered the occuents of the mosque to leave and were to begin a “pressure cooker” procedure that could result in the destruction of the building and its occupants.
Earlier, the local branch of Hamas’ armed wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades said Palestinian fighters drew Israeli soldiers into an ambush near the al-Ansar mosque before attacking them with heavy gunfire and leaving casualties.
Jenin residents have told Middle East Eye they experienced some internet and electricity outages in some areas of the city and its refugee camp, which is under heavy Israeli attack.
Local journalists say the camp is completely surrounded by Israeli forces and no one is allowed to enter or leave.
Reporters and medics are struggling to reach some areas, which have been cut off from the rest of the city.
Israeli soldiers blocked paramedics from reaching a pregnant woman inside the camp, local journalists said. 
The leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement called the Israeli aggression a “massacre” against the Palestinian people in Jenin.
In a statement, he said Islamic Jihad and other resistance will “fulfil their duties” to stop the attacks.
The Islamic Jihad is one of the most prominent groups in Jenin, with a significant military foothold in the city.
Lynn Hastings, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Palestine, said she was “alarmed by scale of Israeli forces operation” used in Jenin.
“Airstrikes were used in the densely populated refugee camp. Several dead and critically wounded. Access to all injured must be ensured,” she said on Twitter.
Alarmed by scale of Israeli forces operation in #Jenin, occupied #WestBank. Airstrikes were used in the densely populated refugee camp. Several dead and critically wounded. Access to all injured must be ensured. @ochaopt is mobilising #humanitarian partners to provide assistance
Her tweet came as Palestinian medics said Israeli forces targeted them with live fire and prevented them from reaching others wounded in Jenin.
Health officials fear casualties are much higher than the official figure because paramedics still can’t reach large areas in the city.
A fierce gunfight has reportedly taken place in the Jenin refugee camp alleyways between Palestinian fighters and Israeli troops as the army continued its ground incursion into the city.
The local branch of Hamas’ armed wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades said Palestinian fighters drew Israeli soldiers into an ambush near the al-Ansar mosque before attacking them with heavy gunfire and leaving casualties.
The Israeli military did not confirm whether any soldiers were hurt.
However, it said in a brief communique that “exchanges of fire” were occurring near a mosque and that an Israeli “aircraft struck to remove the threat.”
There were no immediate reports of injuries on the Palestinian side.
Hello MEE readers,
The Palestinian city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank came under a large-scale Israeli military attack on Monday morning that is still unfolding.
The offensive started with air strikes at around 1 am local time (11 PM GMT) as Israeli drones and Apache attack helicopters targeted several locations in the city.
Now in its 12th hour, the military campaign has so far killed eight Palestinians and wounded dozens, although health officials warn the death toll could rise.
The Israeli military stopped short of calling the offensive a full-scale operation, describing it as a “focused and extensive effort”.
But eyewitnesses and local journalists say the situation on the ground is the worst they have seen since the 2002 invasion of the Jenin refugee camp.
Back then, the Israeli military laid waste to the densely populated camp – home to 13,o00 people – at the height of the Second Intifada.
As Israeli army bulldozers and armoured vehicles advance towards the camp, destroying infrastructure in their way, heavy clashes in the camp continue to ring out as local Palestinian fighters confront Israeli troops.
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