New Nakba unfolds in West Bank refugee camps: Report

• A British report warns that refugee camps in the West Bank are being pushed toward a new Nakba through systematic destruction and forced displacement.
• UNRWA describes the situation as the largest displacement crisis in the West Bank since 1967.

A report by the Middle East Eye details how ’Israel‘ has targeted the refugee camps of Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem, leveling homes, uprooting communities, and displacing tens of thousands of residents. The report argues that these actions form part of a long-running colonial-settler project aimed at emptying the land of its Palestinian population and undermining the right of return.

Camps turned into ghost towns

Middle East Eye states that the destruction of refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarem has severed families from their homes, emptied entire neighborhoods, and accelerated the removal of Palestinians from the area. The outlet stresses that the genocidal crimes committed by ’Israel‘ against Palestinians have never been limited to Gaza.

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The report describes camps reduced to scenes of devastation, with homes bombed, streets torn apart, and residents forcibly expelled, leaving behind areas resembling ghost towns. This, it says, serves as a warning to Palestinians against resisting occupation and ongoing genocidal policies.

“Iron Wall” military operation

Between January 21 and February 9, 2025, ’Israel‘ carried out a military operation dubbed the “Iron Wall”, claiming it was targeting “terrorist elements” in three refugee camps in the northern West Bank.

The operation lasted 19 days and resulted in the forced displacement of nearly 40,000 refugees from Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams camps. According to the report, 'Israeli' forces used armored vehicles, drones, and bulldozers to expel residents from their homes.

UNRWA figures

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees described the assault as “the longest and most extensive displacement crisis since 1967”.

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UNRWA estimates that 43 percent of Jenin refugee camp, 35 percent of Nur Shams camp, and 14 percent of Tulkarem camp were either destroyed or severely damaged.

Daily life under apartheid

The report highlights that movement across the West Bank has become a daily ordeal for Palestinians. An apartheid-based road system allows illegal settlements to connect directly to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, while Palestinians are forced onto indirect, poorly maintained roads and through an expanding network of checkpoints and gates.

A journey that takes settlers about 20 minutes can take Palestinians three hours or more, the report notes.

Expanding settlements

Middle East Eye says ’Israel‘ has grown increasingly emboldened by the absence of international accountability, particularly under a far-right government dominated by settler interests.

Approval has been granted for 69 new settlements, while settler attacks on Palestinian farmers, the theft of livestock, the destruction of homes and schools, and forced displacement in East Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan continue under the protection of Israeli forces.

Nur Shams reduced to ruins

Describing Nur Shams camp, the report says it has been transformed into a “terrifying ghost city”, with nearly one-third of its buildings completely or partially destroyed.

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Large swaths of land have been carved through the camp by 'Israeli' bulldozers to allow military vehicles to pass. One former family home was marked with a blue Star of David and converted into a military base. No civilians remain.

Humanitarian collapse

Residents told the report that Israeli forces cut all communications, utilities, and services immediately after invading the camps. Displaced families now live on the margins, while conditions continue to deteriorate.

Although UNRWA initially provided food and basic services, these efforts halted after ’Israel‘ banned the agency’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Refugees are also barred by military order from rebuilding their destroyed homes.

A broader campaign

The report concludes that the destruction of the Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem camps is deliberate and calculated, forming part of ongoing genocidal crimes.

By destroying communities, dismantling UNRWA, and expelling refugees, ’Israel‘ is not only stripping Palestinians of their homes but also attempting to erase their history, deny their rights, and preempt future demands for justice, including the right of return.

Middle East Eye stresses that what is unfolding in the West Bank is a stark reminder that the genocidal campaign targets Palestinians across all of historic Palestine, not Gaza alone.