The Israel Defense Forces insisted it was “not forcing the Palestinians to evacuate,” but said it had “allowed residents of the camp to evacuate … through an organized and secured point.”

The city of Jenin, a Palestinian militant stronghold in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has become a new front for Israel days after it reached a ceasefire deal with Hamas that suspended a 15-month-old war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the assault on Jenin would be “extensive and significant,” as the military erected new checkpoints across the West Bank.

The action came a day after President Donald Trump said he will lift sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi by phone on Friday, China's foreign ministry said, the first call between the two top diplomats since President Donald Trump's administration took office on Monday.

As Israel withdraws some of its troops from Gaza during a cease-fire there, it has turned attention to another Palestinian territory — in particular a city with a history of militant activity.

The BBC's Jon Donnison watched on in Ramallah as Palestinian prisoners released by Israel were greeted by cheering crowds in the West Bank. Israel said it freed 200 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, but around 70 are set to be deported.

The United Nations secretary-general has warned that Israel might seize the opportunity to annex the occupied West Bank.

Israel's prison service confirmed that 200 Palestinian prisoners were freed in exchange, with some of them subsequently deported.

President Donald Trump indicated Saturday that he had spoken with the king of Jordan about potentially building housing and moving more than 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries,

Trump’s comments come during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has seen the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a surge of aid.