The mayor of Jenin, a city in the occupied West Bank, has compared Israel’s recent military operation in the Jenin Refugee Camp to the devastating war in Gaza. Speaking to CNN, Mohammad Jarrar described widespread destruction, with 120 buildings demolished and 15,000 people forced to flee their homes.

“What’s happening in Jenin now mirrors the situation in Gaza, just on a smaller scale,” Jarrar said. The ruined buildings included hundreds of residential units, leaving thousands of families with nowhere to go.

Jarrar painted a grim picture of life in the camp, with shortages of food, water, and medicine as essential services remain disrupted. He warned that the number of displaced people is likely to grow even further in the coming days.

Israel’s operation, named “Operation Iron Wall,” began just two days after the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The military stated the goal was to dismantle “terrorist infrastructure” and prevent future attacks from the camp. However, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 40 Palestinians have been killed across the West Bank since the operation started, with 25 of those deaths occurring in Jenin.

The mayor labeled the assault as “political,” suggesting that some Israeli officials aim to annex the West Bank and push Palestinians to leave the territory. With the camp now “uninhabitable,” Jarrar emphasized the need for major reconstruction and temporary housing for displaced families.

In a significant shift, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that troops would remain in the Jenin camp after the operation ends. Jarrar called the move “worrying,” raising concerns about the future of the West Bank.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) described Jenin as a “ghost town,” stressing that the displacement of thousands has left many with no home to return to. “The basics of life are gone,” the agency said, warning that the crisis could escalate tensions despite the Gaza ceasefire.