Iran accuses Israel of pursuing a “scorched earth” policy in Gaza and the West Bank

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September 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Iranian government on Saturday accused Israel of pursuing a “scorched earth” policy in its military offensive against the Gaza Strip and its operations in the West Bank, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the towns of Jenin and Tulkarem.

“The images of the insane destruction in all urban areas and infrastructure in Gaza and now in some areas of the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarem, indicate that the Israeli regime has been frustrated in its chance of victory over the Palestinian resistance and nation and is pursuing a scorched earth strategy,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser Kanani.

In a message posted on his social media account, he stressed that “countries and international institutions have a moral, human and legal duty to prevent the repetition of war crimes by the Israeli regime in the West Bank.”

Israel last week launched a large-scale “anti-terror operation” in the northern West Bank, dubbed “Summer Camps” — the largest in more than two decades, since the end of the Second Intifada in 2002 — which included raids in Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas, as well as in their refugee camps. The PA-linked Health Ministry has put the death toll at 39 and nearly 150 wounded during the operation.

Israeli forces have stepped up their operations in the West Bank following the attacks carried out on October 7 by Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which left some 1,200 people dead and nearly 250 kidnapped. However, the area had already recorded its highest death toll at the hands of Israeli troops in the previous nine months of 2023.

Palestinian authorities have estimated that more than 690 people have died and nearly 5,700 have been injured as a result of these Israeli operations, which also launched an offensive against the Gaza Strip following the aforementioned attacks, which has so far left more than 40,900 dead and around 94,500 injured.