Jerusalem, Feb 21 (IANS) Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to escalate raids in refugee camps in the occupied West Bank following a series of bus explosions, which he said were “a terror attack”.
“In light of the serious attempted attacks in the Gush Dan (central) area by Palestinian terrorist organisations against the civilian population in Israel, I have instructed the IDF (military) to intensify operations to thwart terrorism in the Tulkarem refugee camp and in all the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria,” Katz said in a statement, using the biblical term for the West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to carry out an “intensive” operation in the West Bank after explosions on buses close to Tel Aviv on Thursday, in what Netanyahu’s office described as a suspected “terror attack”.
There were no immediate reports of injuries in the blasts, Xinhua news agency reported.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosions in the Tel Aviv area, which caused no injuries. However, Hamas’ Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Tulkarm, northern West Bank, issued a statement praising the attack.
“The revenge of the martyrs will not be forgotten as long as the occupier is present on our lands,” the statement said.
Katz vowed to exact a “heavy price” from those responsible.
“We will hunt down the terrorists relentlessly and destroy the terror infrastructure,” he said in a statement released by his Ministry.
He said the intensified raids would focus on “the Tulkarm refugee camp and all refugee camps in the West Bank”.
Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported that the Shin Bet domestic security agency was investigating whether those who planted the explosive devices came from Tulkarm after a sticker found on one of the devices suggested the attack was “revenge” for recent Israeli raids that caused widespread destruction in the area.
In the attack, three empty buses exploded within minutes, and explosive devices were found on two other buses, police said.
Public transportation, including buses, trains, and Tel Aviv’s light rail, was temporarily suspended nationwide for security scans.
The bus blasts come amid a fragile ceasefire in Gaza between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel after 16 months of war.
Hamas on Thursday released the bodies of four hostages.
The ceasefire has held since it was implemented on January 19 despite accusations traded by Israel and Hamas of violations.
–IANS
int/khz
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