Israel is nearing the end of its operation in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, after more than 24 hours of heavy clashes in the refugee camp, during which at least 10 Palestinians have been killed and thousands were forced to leave their homes.

The operation, which began early yesterday, Monday morning, involves hundreds of members of the Israeli army’s special forces with the support of drones.

Israel has pointed out that the raid on the camp in Jenin, code-named “Home and Garden”, is aimed at neutralizing the armed Palestinian organizations hiding there and responsible for the increase in attacks against Israelis.

A Palestinian wounded during overnight clashes succumbed today and another body was found this morning, bringing the Palestinian death toll to 10. About 100 are injured, of which 20 are in a critical condition, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced.

The Islamic Jihad group said four of its fighters had been killed, while Hamas had one. It is currently not known whether the other five dead – all men between the ages of 17 and 23 – are militants or civilians.

The operation “is close to achieving the goals that were set,” Israel’s National Security Adviser Tchai Hanegbi told Kan radio station overnight.

The Israeli military said it had confirmed the death of nine Palestinians by its forces, adding that all of them were members of armed Palestinian organizations.

Offices and businesses in the occupied West Bank are expected to close today following calls for a general strike to protest the Israeli army’s raid on Jenin, which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described as a “war crime”.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had removed 500 families, about 3,000 people, from the camp, which is home to about 14,000 people in an area of ​​less than half a square kilometer.

Aid organizations have called on Israel to ensure humanitarian aid access to Jenin.

Yesterday, Monday, bulldozers were destroying roads in the camp, aiming to neutralize improvised explosive devices, cutting off water and electricity supplies, although Israeli officials say they are working to restore services.

Today the army announced that Israeli border police found an underground area used to store explosives in the refugee camp and destroyed two observation points.