Palestinian youths observe an Israeli army patrol car from the safety of a corner at the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Dec. 13, 2023, as battles continue between Israel and the militant movement Hamas in Gaza. (Credit: Marco Langori/AFP)
Video has circulated showing Israeli soldiers using the loudspeaker that broadcasts the Muslim call to prayer to address residents of the camp and to sing Hannukah songs at a mosque in the Jenin refugee camp.
According to Haaretz, in one video the soldiers told camp residents that "the story is over, we will not allow the presence of armed men inside the camp. The future will be clean, we want you to live with dignity in the camp, there is no power beyond the power of Allah."
Another video shows soldiers using the loudspeaker to sing "We came to banish darkness," a song sung during the Jewish holiday of Hannukah.
Following the release of the videos, the Israeli military said that the soldiers were taken off duty and would be "punished accordingly."
These incidents come at a heightened time of tension between Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and Israel. The Israeli military is currently in the midst of a relentless offensive in Gaza that has killed over 18,600 people following Hamas's deadly attack on Oct. 7. Israeli forces have also been expanding their operations in the occupied West Bank with Jenin often being a target for Israeli raids.