Israel is not playing games anymore. For the first time since 2002, Israeli tanks rolled into the West Bank, and the message is clear—the IDF isn’t leaving anytime soon. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have given the green light for an extended military presence to wipe out terrorism in the territory’s refugee camps.
The fragile ceasefire with Hamas remains in place, but Israel is taking no chances. With 40,000 Palestinians fleeing from key urban areas, Israeli forces are moving in to ensure they don’t return to areas where terror groups operate. Katz made it clear: terrorists won’t be allowed to regroup, and this won’t be a short-term operation.
The Palestinian foreign ministry is furious, calling Israel’s move a “dangerous escalation.” But let’s be honest—Hamas started this war on October 7, 2023, when it launched a barbaric terrorist attack on Israel, killing over 1,100 people and kidnapping 250 more. Since then, the IDF has methodically eliminated Hamas strongholds in Gaza, and now it’s turning its attention to the West Bank.
The timing is critical. The ceasefire has already led to Hamas freeing six hostages in exchange for 600 Palestinian prisoners, but 63 hostages remain, including the remains of a soldier captured in 2014. Israel knows that Hamas will exploit any moment of weakness, and that’s why the IDF is stamping out terror before it can regroup.
This isn’t just about military strategy—this is about Israel’s survival. The West Bank has been a breeding ground for terror, and after what happened on October 7, Israel isn’t waiting around for another massacre. The world can criticize, the UN can complain, but Israel is doing what it must to protect its people.
