Israeli Operations Turn West Bank Camps into Ghost Zones

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Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem reports that approximately 40,000 residents of the refugee camps in Tulkarem, Nur Shams, and Jenin have been displaced due to military operations this year.

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Israel is reportedly developing plans to displace West Bank residents as part of efforts to tighten control over the region—plans supported by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and radical settler groups, fueling deep Palestinian fears.

Malek Lotfi, 51, father of six and owner of a small electronics shop in Tulkarem camp, found himself uprooted overnight. When Israeli forces began demolishing homes in early 2024, he had just enough time to collect a few family items. He now rents a small room in town but cannot access his business inside the sealed-off camp, leaving his family without income to afford rent.

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“We were displaced on January 27, 2024. They told us to evacuate and forbade us from returning. It’s been six months since we last set foot in the camp. We left our home empty and we fear returning—for risk of being shot at or detained by Israeli soldiers,” Lotfi stated.

He knows of families in even worse conditions who now live in overcrowded schools or agricultural fields. “We are waiting for aid from the government, and the promises to cover rent and expenses,” he added.

B’Tselem warns that Israeli operations are forcing tens of thousands of West Bank Palestinians like Lotfi to abandon their homes. Israel says these operations target armed militants, including in Jenin and Tulkarem in the northern West Bank.

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An Israeli army spokesperson explained that demolitions are “operationally necessary” to allow troops to operate unhindered, and are implemented only after assessing alternatives.

These demolitions have drawn widespread international criticism and raised concerns about a potential plan to formally annex the West Bank—which Israel has occupied since 1967.

This week, witnesses saw bulldozers amid rubble and broad new roads flanked by concrete debris. Residents were seen loading belongings—chairs, blankets, cooking utensils—onto trucks.

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The governor of Tulkarem, Abdullah Kamil, confirmed that 106 homes and 104 additional structures in Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps have been destroyed in recent weeks. “What’s happening in Tulkarem is an ongoing crime driven by Israeli political directive—it’s not about security,” he asserted.

He added: “The operation continues, infrastructure destruction continues. There’s almost nothing left in the camps—they’ve become ghost zones, guarded only by snipers positioned at multiple spots.”

The Israeli operation, underway since January, is among the largest in the West Bank since the Second Intifada over twenty years ago. Multiple army units are involved, supported by drones, helicopters, and, for the first time in decades, heavy armor.

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As U.S. and Qatari mediation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza intensify, international figures and rights groups are also raising alarms over the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.

Shay Barness, B’Tselem’s communications director, said: “Israel is replicating in the northern West Bank the strategies it honed in its current offensive in Gaza,” denouncing the deliberate destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, and forced displacement of civilians from areas designated as battle zones.

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Right-wing figures within the Israeli government have repeatedly called for the official annexation of the West Bank—a territory Palestinians claim for a future independent state with East Jerusalem as capital and including Gaza.

Israeli officials deny annexationist motives and insist the operation targets only armed factions under international law. Yet, according to Governor Abdullah Kamil, the displacement is putting tremendous strain on a population already facing economic hardship. Thousands have sought refuge in mosques, schools, and overcrowded homes.

Lotfi, visiting the camp six months later, said the devastation of his home left him in shock.

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