Fox News: Israel moves tanks into West Bank for first time since 2002

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Israel moves tanks into West Bank for first time since 2002

Israel sent tanks into the West Bank on Sunday for the first time since 2002 and told its military to prepare for "an extended stay" to "thwart terrorism."
                       
                       
                           

Israel sent tanks into the West Bank on Sunday for the first time since 2002, telling its military to prepare for "an extended stay" as the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login remains determined to stamp out terrorism in the territory's refugee camps.

Several tanks were seen moving into Jenin as a fragile ceasefire between the terrorist organization Hamas and Israel remains in place.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login ordered the military to "increase the intensity of the activity to thwart terrorism" across the West Bank.

Katz said troops will remain "for the coming year" in parts of the territory and indicated that Palestinians who have fled cannot return.

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"We will not allow the return of residents, and we will not allow terrorism to return and grow," he said.

Earlier, Katz said he instructed the military to prepare for "an extended stay" in some of the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, from which he said about 40,000 Palestinians have fled, leaving the areas "emptied of residents." That figure was confirmed by the United Nations.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain "as long as needed."

The Palestinian foreign ministry called the Israeli moves "a dangerous escalation of the situation in the West Bank."

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Tanks were last deployed in the territory in 2002, when Israel fought against deadly Palestinian violence.

The move on Sunday comes as the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login that was reached a month ago between Hamas and Israel remains in place.

Hamas freed six hostages on Saturday in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement. Netanyahu has said 63 hostages remain, including the remains of a soldier captured in 2014.

The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip led an assault in southern Israel, killing more than 1,100 people and abducting about 250 more.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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