With the end of the military operation in Jenin, thousands of camp residents begin to return to their homes, while others leave their homes to find torn roads and destroyed vehicles and buildings.

Israel launched a major operation early Monday to eliminate what it calls a terrorist hub in the city, and Israeli army forces began leaving the area around midnight Tuesday, with the withdrawal completed in the early hours of Wednesday. Local Palestinian residents came out of their homes in the morning to face widespread destruction, as thousands who fled their homes during the operation began to return, and others came out to find alleys filled with piles of rubble and burned cars, with shop owners and bulldozers beginning to clear the debris.

Large parts of the refugee camp and some parts of the adjacent West Bank city were temporarily left without electricity or water due to damaged infrastructure.

The fighting saw multiple clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinian resistance, with Israeli forces also targeted by explosive devices and the Israeli army carrying out drone strikes on various targets.

Jenin Mayor Nidal Al-Abidi said that about 4,000 Palestinians, nearly a third of the camp, fled to stay with relatives or in shelters away from the fighting. Returning residents described the destruction of roads and buildings turned to rubble during the fighting as widespread destruction.

Armored military vehicles had dug into parts of some streets in areas where intelligence indicated the possible presence of improvised explosive devices, as a lesson from a massive explosive device that detonated a few weeks ago near the city during the passage of an Israeli army vehicle, injuring eight soldiers.

Palestinians from the area surrounding Jenin have carried out a number of attacks on Israelis in recent years, and observers say the Palestinian Authority has little control on the ground.

The operation focused on the local wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement known as the Jenin Brigade, as well as other smaller armed groups in the city and refugee camp, according to statements from the Israeli army, which confirmed it inflicted serious damage on armed factions in the two-day operation, which included a series of air strikes and hundreds of ground forces.

But it is not yet clear whether there will be any lasting impact after nearly a year and a half of escalating violence in the West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Tuesday that this was not a one-time operation.

Israeli soldier David Yehuda Yitzhak from the Egoz special command unit was killed while securing the beginning of the army’s withdrawal from the refugee camp on Tuesday night. The army was investigating whether his death was a result of so-called friendly fire, while the number of Palestinian fatalities during the operation remained unclear.

Palestinian health officials said 13 people were killed, and at least 100 others were injured, including 20 listed in serious condition, during air raids and clashes with Israeli forces.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said at least 18 Palestinian militants were killed by Israeli forces. According to the Israeli army, all Palestinian dead were involved in the fighting, but some non-combatants were among the wounded.