The Zionist forces began demolishing 17 Palestinian homes in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern West Bank on Thursday as part of an ongoing military offensive, according to witnesses. Military bulldozers entered the camp east of Tulkarem and started razing buildings, hours after Zionist authorities issued demolition orders, allegedly to build a road in the Al-Manshiya neighborhood. Local officials warn that the destruction will leave dozens of families homeless, further worsening the humanitarian crisis in the area.
Nihad Al-Shawish, head of a local service committee, condemned the demolitions as “collective punishment” aimed at altering the geography of the camp under “false security pretexts.” He noted that just days earlier, 11 Palestinian homes had been demolished in the same camp.
Since January 21, Zionist military operations in the northern West Bank have resulted in at least 65 Palestinian deaths and the displacement of thousands. Palestinian officials view the offensive as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broader strategy to annex the West Bank and eliminate any prospects for a two-state solution.
Tensions have escalated across the West Bank since the start of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 930 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured by Zionist forces and settlers. Meanwhile, in a ruling last July, the International Court of Justice deemed Zionist occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the removal of all settlements in the West Bank and East El-Quds. However, the zionist entity has continued its expansionist policies despite international condemnation.
