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Displaced Palestinians Face Uncertain Future After West Bank Camp Demolitions
Nine months after fleeing their homes in the Nur Shams refugee camp, 54-year-old Nehaya al-Jundi and her family remain displaced, their lives upended by an Israeli military operation that razed much of the camp and forced out tens of thousands of residents.
Speaking from a café in nearby Tulkarm, Nehaya described the terror of watching Israeli bulldozers demolish buildings around her home in early February. "We were besieged inside our house and couldn't leave," she recalled, as power, water, and internet were cut off. On February 9, she escaped with her 75-year-old husband and teenage daughter, only to find the camp in ruins.
Military Operation Targets Armed Groups, Displaces Thousands
Launched in late January, "Operation Iron Wall" sent Israeli troops into Nur Shams and two other northern West Bank refugee camps-Jenin and Tulkarm-to dismantle what Israel described as militant infrastructure responsible for attacks on soldiers and settlers. The operation followed failed attempts by the Palestinian Authority to curb armed groups, many linked to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
By February's end, the three camps were nearly emptied in what Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since Israel's 1967 occupation. HRW's recent report labeled the forced evacuations and demolitions-850 homes and structures destroyed, per its count-as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing violations of the Geneva Conventions.
"The Geneva Conventions prohibit displacement of civilians from occupied territory except temporarily for imperative military reasons or the population's security."
Human Rights Watch
HRW also warned the actions "may also be considered 'ethnic cleansing.'" Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, had earlier instructed the military to prepare for a "prolonged stay" in the camps through 2025.
Military Claims Success, But Demolitions Continue
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) defended the operation as necessary to "locate and uproot terrorist infrastructure," stating it had dismantled bomb-making facilities and reduced terror alerts in the West Bank by 80%. However, demolitions persist, with satellite images showing widened streets-now accessible to tanks-carved through densely built areas.
An IDF spokesperson told the BBC the demolitions were "based on operational necessity," including creating military access routes. Residents' legal challenges, arguing violations of international law, have been uniformly rejected by Israel's Supreme Court.
'Reshaping' the Camps
The IDF acknowledged the operation's broader goals: "The IDF is acting to reshape and stabilize the area." Critics argue this reflects a pattern of permanent displacement. HRW urged Israel to halt forced removals and allow all displaced residents-estimated at over 32,000-to return.
Displacement Shatters Lives and Communities
For Nehaya and others, the toll is personal and communal. Her family now lives in a nearby village, surviving on modest aid. "Everything has been difficult since we left," she said. Nidal Abu Nase, a 54-year-old development consultant, fled Jenin's camp with only his clothes, assuming a brief absence. Ten months later, he still can't retrieve his belongings.
The camps' tight-knit fabric-rooted in shared history as descendants of Palestinians displaced in 1948-has frayed. "For me, the camp is identity and culture," Nidal said. Nehaya mourned the lost bonds: "There was love and affection in the camp, but not anymore because we are far from each other."
Education and Livelihoods in Crisis
With UNRWA schools in the camps closed, children like Nidal's have gone months without education. Many displaced families rely on dwindling aid, while unemployment soars. Nehaya's former community center, which provided rehabilitation services, now serves as an Israeli military barracks.
Reports from the few who've snuck into Nur Shams suggest Nehaya's home is "wide open-fully destroyed." Despite protests, returns remain blocked. "They punished ordinary people," she said. "This is collective punishment."
