RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israel’s ongoing large-scale military operation in the West Bank, dubbed Operation Summer Camps, is not the first of its kind in the occupied territory, but it is the largest in two decades. The Israeli military launched it Aug. 27 with simultaneous raids in four areas of the northern West Bank, calling it a counterterrorism operation against armed militants.

The raids began in the Fara’a refugee camp, in Tubas governorate; in Tulkarm and the Nur Shams camp, in Tulkarm governorate; and in the Jenin camp. Israeli troops had withdrawn by Wednesday from Fara’a and Nur Shams, but raids continued in Jenin.

At least 16 Palestinians have been killed thus far, according to the Ramallah-based Health Ministry.

The Israeli army's actions appear to be an enhanced version of the daily raids it has been conducting in the West Bank since the Gaza war against Hamas began on Oct. 7. The increased raids are aimed at eliminating armed cells in the northern West Bank and disrupting their capabilities to prevent them from opening another front in the conflict.