The Israel Defense Forces have reported the destruction of a mobile explosives laboratory located in the Jenin refugee camp. This update comes from the IDF communications channel and is being circulated as part of ongoing operational briefings. The report notes that five suspected terrorists were killed during the operation and that twenty-one individuals wanted on related charges were arrested. Authorities also indicate a Hamas supporter connected to the August 19, 2023 attack was apprehended in the course of these actions. [citation: IDF statement]
In a subsequent phase of operations conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in coordination with Shin Bet, a total of twenty-nine individuals were detained in Jordan’s West Bank area. More than two thousand terrorism suspects have been taken into custody since the onset of the current conflict between Hamas and Israel. Of these detainees, approximately eleven hundred are identified as Hamas supporters. [citation: security services briefing]
There were conflicting claims from Hamas suggesting violations of a ceasefire agreement by Israel. The ceasefire disputes underscore the fragility of the pause in hostilities and the continuing volatility on the ground. [citation: regional security update]
On October 7, the conflict escalated when Hamas announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and thousands of armed supporters surged into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military response, named Operation Iron Sword, aimed to repel the assault, secure the release of more than two hundred hostages including foreigners, and degrade Hamas capabilities. [citation: conflict timeline]
By October 27, Israel disclosed plans to expand the ground operation in Gaza. The precise start date of the broader invasion remained unclear, but the campaign coincided with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians evacuating homes and seeking shelter in the southern regions. During the ensuing ground campaign, Gaza City was surrounded and supply lines were cut off as of November 5, while fighting continued in central Gaza. [citation: operational update]
On November 22, Israel and Hamas reportedly reached a preliminary agreement on the exchange and release of hostages. The proposal called for a four-day ceasefire and the exchange of fifty Palestinian prisoners held in Gaza for one hundred fifty Israeli prisoners. Additional releases could follow in a second phase, with the ceasefire potentially extended in exchange for further hostages. Hamas additionally pledged to release two captured Russian women once hostilities cease. The ceasefire agreement was officially signed on November 24. [citation: negotiation brief]
Earlier reports indicated that Jordan’s West Bank would take a leading role in broader regional security concerns, with emphasis on the far-right Jewish Orthodox community’s involvement in the situation. [citation: regional analysis]