TEL AVIV (PNN /

Israel’s i24 News channel reported that the Israeli military is preparing a large-scale operation targeting refugee camps across the occupied West Bank, in a move that could significantly expand ongoing military activity in the territory.

The report said the planned operation would extend from the northern West Bank to the city of Hebron and involve up to 26 military battalions. It is expected to include camps where Israeli forces have not previously operated, in addition to the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, amid Israeli claims that armed groups remain active in those areas.

According to the channel’s correspondent, initial plans focus on operations in Tulkarm and Balata camps, alongside an expansion of activity in Nur Shams camp, where Israeli forces have been conducting operations for more than a year. The report added that the operation could later expand to additional camps across the West Bank, without specifying locations.

Concerns are growing among Palestinians that the ongoing escalation and military operations could be used as fuel for Israel’s upcoming election campaigns, with military action being framed as a demonstration of political strength and security resolve. Many fear that decisions on the ground may increasingly be influenced by domestic political calculations in Israel, potentially leading to further escalation and a higher civilian toll.

Palestinians and observers point to previous election cycles in which periods of intensified military activity coincided with political campaigning, reinforcing fears that violence could once again be leveraged for electoral gain. They warn that such a dynamic risks deepening human suffering and increasing the likelihood of further cycles of escalation, at a time when international calls for de-escalation and restraint are growing louder.

Separately, Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, warned of what he described as dangerous escalation, citing Israeli media reports about plans involving the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Barghouti said such developments underscore longstanding warnings about attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians, pointing to statements by Israeli officials and reports alleging the involvement of Israeli intelligence-linked entities in relocating residents from Gaza.

He called on mediators and the international community, including Arab and Islamic countries, to exert immediate pressure on Israel to halt what he described as a dangerous escalation.

Palestinian officials and factions also urged the international community to pressure Israel to stop the planned operation in the West Bank, warning it could further destabilize the situation and increase risks to civilians.

Barghouti said Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza remain determined to remain on their land despite the escalation, calling for broader international support.