Aftermath of Israeli military withdrawal from Jenin in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces have withdrawn from Jenin in the occupied West Bank following a siege that lasted 10 days, leaving behind a trail of devastation.

At least 21 people were killed in Jenin city and the refugee camp, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Friday.

In a statement on Facebook, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Israel of transferring to the West Bank its brutal destruction and devastation in the Gaza Strip, as evidenced by the situation in Jenin and Tulkarem, and the refugee camps there.

Israeli armoured personnel carriers were seen leaving the Jenin camp overnight from a checkpoint set up on one of the main roads. A journalist with The Associated Press news agency inside the camp saw no evidence of any remaining troops inside as dawn broke on Friday.

The was no immediate comment from Israel’s military, which said it would issue a statement later in the day. It was not clear whether the apparent withdrawal was only a temporary measure to regroup forces.

Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have been involved for more than a week in what has been their deadliest operation in the West Bank since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October, employing what the United Nations called “lethal war-like tactics”.

The offensive has had a devastating effect on Palestinian civilians living in Jenin.

Water and electricity services have been cut, families have been confined to their homes and ambulances evacuating the wounded have been slowed on their way to nearby hospitals.

In the quiet morning on Friday, Jenin residents took advantage of the lull to rummage through the rubble of destroyed buildings and take stock of the damage.