Israel deploys tanks in West Bank for first time in over two decades

Israel has deployed tanks into the West Bank for the first time since 2002, focusing on combating terrorism in refugee camps. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that troops will remain in the area for the coming year. Katz stated that military operations will intensify, and he indicated that around 40,000 Palestinians have fled from certain urban areas. He emphasized that returning residents will not be allowed. This deployment occurs amid a fragile ceasefire with Hamas, which recently released six hostages in exchange for over 600 Palestinian prisoners. The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, following a major attack by Hamas.