Israeli assault displaces 75% of Palestinians from Tulkarem refugee camp in West Bank
Smoke rises during an Israeli army operation in the Jenin camp for Palestinian refugees in the north of the occupied West Bank on February 3, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The Israeli army has displaced nearly 75% of residents from the Tulkarem refugee camp amid an ongoing military operation in the northern West Bank, a local official said on Monday.
Faisal Salama, head of the Popular Committee for Services in the camp, told AA that “almost 75% of the camp’s 15,000 residents were forcibly displaced to the city of Tulkarem and neighboring towns.”
Military operation in Tulkarem and Jenin
On Jan. 21, the Israeli army launched an offensive on Jenin city and its refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 Palestinians. The operation later expanded to Tulkarem, where at least three Palestinians were killed.
According to Salama, conditions in the Tulkarem camp are “extremely difficult,” with residents facing severe shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies due to Israeli restrictions.
“The Israeli army also shut down a Red Crescent Society office in the camp, depriving Palestinians of medical services,” he added.
Palestinian Presidency condemns Israeli actions
The office of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas denounced the Israeli military operation in the West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” on Monday.
In a statement, spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the Palestinian presidency “condemned the occupation authorities’ expansion of their comprehensive war on our Palestinian people in the West Bank to implement their plans aimed at displacing citizens and ethnic cleansing.”
Rising Palestinian Casualties in 2025
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Monday that at least 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the start of 2025. Among the victims were 10 children, one woman, and two elderly individuals.
The casualties are distributed across multiple areas:
- 38 killed in Jenin
- 15 in Tubas
- Six in Nablus
- Five in Tulkarem
- Three in Hebron
- Two in Bethlehem
- One in East Jerusalem
Later, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah confirmed to Agence-France Presse (AFP) that those killed were “killed by the Israeli occupation.”
Israeli military offensive and response
The Israeli military launched a major offensive in the West Bank on Jan. 21, targeting Palestinian armed groups in the Jenin area, a longstanding center of militancy. The Israeli army stated on Sunday that it had killed more than 50 “terrorists” since the operation began, including in airstrikes preceding the offensive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently visiting Washington, where he is expected to begin discussions on a second phase of Israel’s truce with Hamas in Gaza.
The next stage of talks is anticipated to cover the release of remaining captives and discussions on a more permanent resolution to the conflict.
Humanitarian concerns and regional tensions
The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have warned about the deteriorating situation in Palestinian refugee camps, particularly in Tulkarem and Jenin, where access to medical aid and basic necessities has been significantly hindered.
Palestinian officials have accused Israel of using excessive force and targeting civilians in military operations, while Israeli authorities state their actions are in response to security threats.
Rudeineh called for U.S. intervention, stating, “We demand the intervention of the US administration before it is too late, to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression against our people and our land.”
