Open fronts in Lebanon and Gaza: Israel launches new operation 'Iron Wall' in West Bank

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As efforts intensify to prevent obstacles to the second phase of the prisoner exchange deal scheduled for Saturday—seen as a step toward solidifying the ceasefire—Israel opened a new front in the West Bank, specifically in Jenin.  

The military operation, dubbed "Iron Wall," is aimed at dismantling Palestinian factions, primarily Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised this operation to his far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, presenting it as a key objective of the ongoing Al-Aqsa Flood war. 

The timeframe for the operation remains open-ended despite warnings of its potential repercussions before resolving the Gaza and Lebanon files.  

The "Iron Wall" operation now engulfs Jenin, a city expected to see the release of several Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement between Israel and Hamas on Saturday. Among those set to be freed are prisoners serving life sentences and others who have spent decades in Israeli jails. Some of the released individuals will reportedly be exiled to Egypt under the terms of the agreement.  

However, an unresolved group of prisoners remains at the center of ongoing negotiations, including 70 high-profile Hamas members and Hezbollah operatives captured by Israeli forces during ground operations in Lebanon. 

These detainees were reportedly transferred two weeks ago to a newly established underground detention facility under the orders of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Reports indicate they are being held under harsh conditions and subjected to various forms of torture.  

Several human rights organizations have attempted to gather information about their status, particularly Hezbollah prisoners, but Israel has maintained strict secrecy around their detention. 

The Committee Against Torture, among other groups, has called on the Israeli military and related institutions to disclose the number of Hezbollah detainees and grant Palestinian lawyers access to them.  

So far, no official response has been issued as Tel Aviv continues to impose a media blackout on the prisoners' conditions.