Category: Reports

The Release of Prisoners and the Ceasefire in Gaza

By: Diana Khwaelid
21 January 2025

After a year and two months of suffering, displacement and genocide, the ceasefire heralds great joy on the streets of Palestine. But with Israeli forces stepping up aggression in the West Bank, Palestinians fear the war of annihilation has not ended, only moved.

Ramallah, West Bank — Celebrations bloomed in cities and villages across the West Bank following the start of the ceasefire in Gaza and the liberation 90 women and children imprisoned by Israeli occupation forces. Their release trails the release of three Israeli women held in Gaza, a delay which suggests the occupation will continue to flex its power even as it stands down militarily. The release was watched closely by dozens of Palestinian families and Palestinian and foreign activists, along with news media from around the world.

Some ten thousand Palestinians remain imprisoned by the occupation, in addition to 57 Israelis being held in Gaza. This “Flood of the Free” is not the first prisoner exchange deal and it will not be the last as long as so many Palestinians languish in the occupation’s prisons.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) teams received the three Israeli prisoners released by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. For this purpose, they crossed the Netzarim corridor that divides the Gaza Strip into North and South. The corridor has been a point of tension in the ceasefire talks, as occupation forces want to retain some control over the area, bisecting the strip.

A female freed captive embraces her family

Hamas confirmed on Sunday its commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and attributed the delay in handing over the names of the Israeli prisoners who will be released in the first batch to “technical field reasons.” Israeli media reported that a number of buses left Haifa’s “Damon” prison, designated for Palestinian female prisoners, amid tight security measures. Damon is located in the ruins of the Palestinian village of Khirbat Al-Dumun, whose residents were killed or expelled during the Nakba.

Gas bombs fired as Palestinians await the release of prisoners.

Meanwhile, outside Ofer prison in Ramallah, Israeli occupation forces attacked Palestinian families with tear gas as they awaited the release of their loved ones. In Al Fawakeh square in Beitunia, Ramallah, crowds cheered as prisoners were released. The women were greeted by their families and friends with hugs and tears of joy—and grief. Nearly all have lost friends and relatives since the start of the war of annihilation in Gaza on October 7th. For them, release from prison is the beginning, not the end, of a long road towards healing.

Twelve martyrs in Jenin camp in less than 20 hours

Jenin — West Bank – By Diana Khwaelid

The Israeli occupation forces are seriously escalating in the West Bank, in particular in its Northern regions. In the Jenin camp, an Israeli aerial bombardment targeted six Palestinians including three brothers, and a child no older than 15.

On the evening of Tuesday, January 14th, an Israeli military aircraft carried out an aerial bombardment in the center of the Jenin camp in the northern West Bank, killing six Palestinians and wounding at least eight more with moderate injuries. At the time of the bombing, the residents of the camp described a state of horror and fear. One Palestinian eyewitness said: “We saw the bodies of Palestinians lying on the ground among the dead and wounded, with bare blood everywhere.”

A Palestinian woman is walking through a street, supported by a man and a woman holding her by the arms and a few other people around. Her hijab is stained with blood. — The mother of the three martyred brothers grieves her sons

In contradiction with their own communications, Israel is continuously targeting Palestinian civilians in the North of the West Bank — regardless of age, gender, background. The situation of escalating campaigns of military operations in the northern West Bank mirrors the war crimes we continue to witness in Gaza.

A Palestinian woman in the middle of a crowd is closing her eyes and holding her hand to her mouth in pain. — Farewell to the martyrs

The situation in the camp is unstable due to the recent Israeli military incursions, including the destruction and bulldozing of streets and infrastructure, the destruction of houses and shops, and the cutting of electricity and water lines. Dozens of Palestinian families have left the camp, especially those who have lost their homes. Many still remain, rejecting the idea of abandoning and living away from their place of origin.

In a street, two Palestinian men are standing looking at the ground, on which a red stain is visible amongst water sprayed to clean. — Two men contemplate the the site of the airstrike where martyrs were killed

According to residents, the bombing happened a few meters away from the house of the three brothers who were killed, who are from the Abu Al-Hijaa family, one of the most well-known and largest families in the camp. They were sitting near their house alongside friends and neighbours.

The martyrs’ names are 15-year-old Mahmoud Gharbiya, 28-year-old Mo’min Abu al-Hijaa, 27-year-old Amir Abu al-Hijaa, 34-year-old Hossam Qanouh, 23-year-old Ibrahim Qaneri, and 33-year-old Baha Abu al-Hijaa.

A crowd of Palestinian men around six bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags carried high on stretchers at the centre of the crowd. Some men are filming on their phones, many others raise their hand with a peace sign. — A crowd assembles at the funeral of the six Tuesday martyrs.

Before their blood could dry in the streets of Jenin, on Wednesday evening, January 15th, the Israeli military committed another crime in the Al- Dumaj Neighborhood of the camp, in which six more Palestinians were killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

A man, a woman and a boy are standing by a wall, looking defeated. The woman is leaning on the wall, the man is holding his head in his hands. — A Palestinian family in pain residing in the Jenin camp

The number of martyrs in the West Bank since October 7 has reached 858, including 237 in Jenin. The city of Jenin has the highest number of martyrs in the West Bank.

Israel Targets Palestinian Youth in the West Bank

Nablus – West Bank By: Diana Khwaelid

What will happen to the next generation of youth if Israel continues to target and kill Palestinian children?

The Palestinian people are enduring a difficult period, one that mirrors the challenges faced during the First and Second Intifadas, perhaps even more so. This struggle has only intensified since Israel launched its war of annihilation on Gaza on October 7, which continues to this day. Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland, unfit for human habitation. Meanwhile, the West Bank remains in a state of anticipation. Though the West Bank’s various cities, villages, and refugee camps have already provided dozens of martyrs, prisoners, and the wounded, Israel’s escalation of its operations threatens to turn the West Bank into yet another devastated area.

*Nablus* In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Israeli occupation forces launched several incursions. Within less than a week, they stormed refugee camps twice, resulting in the deaths of two Palestinians.

The first martyr, Mohammed Amer, an 18-year-old from Balata Camp, was shot dead by Israeli forces on January 4 during their raid of the camp. Mohammed was the sole male in his family, leaving behind seven sisters.

The second martyr, 17-year-old Moataz Al-Madani from Askar Camp, was also killed by Israeli forces on the night of January 6, during a raid in his camp. Today, the people of Askar mourned his death, chanting slogans of anger, revenge, and resistance.

*Israel’s Plan to Erase the Palestinian Refugee Issue* Israel’s campaign to dismantle Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, particularly in the north, began nearly two years ago in early 2023. The campaign intensified in August 2024 under the name “Operation Summer Camps.” Israeli forces were stationed in refugee camps in Tulkarem, Nablus, Jenin, Tubas, Jericho, and Qalqilya.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, with Tulkarem and Jenin cities witnessing the highest number of martyrs, according to the Palestinian Health Organization. Refugee camps in Nablus, including Balata and Askar, have been frequent targets of Israeli occupation forces.

*Israel Opens War on the Palestinians* According to the Palestinian Health Department’s statistics, at least 94 martyrs have fallen in Nablus since the beginning of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The total number of martyrs in the West Bank has reached 838, of which 172 are children, 16 are women, and 12 are elderly. Furthermore, 179 bodies are being held by Israeli forces.

From the outset of the war in Gaza, Israel demonstrated that it makes no distinction between its targets—no one, whether young or old, male or female, is spared. This indiscriminate violence has been evident in both Gaza and the West Bank, creating a pervasive atmosphere of fear and insecurity among Palestinians. They no longer feel safe in their own homes. The ongoing state of tension, anxiety, and daily danger has become an inescapable reality for Palestinians living under occupation.

Nine martyrs in Tulkarem: who will hold Israel accountable?

Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Syria, and in Lebanon. Who will hold them accountable for their crimes?

By Diana Khwaelid | December 27, 2024 | Tulkarem, West Bank 

Nine Palestinian were martyred last week in Tulkarem and neighbouring cities during an Israeli military operation in refugee camps in the West Bank. On December 24, Israel launched a military campaign in several cities and camps in the northern West Bank, including Tamoun in Tubas city, Al-Ain camp in Nablus, al-Amari camp in Ramallah, Qalqilya and Tulkarem.

Nine morgue drawers in a small room. In seven of them, bodies wrapped in fabric are visible. Another one has its door already closed, and a man is midway through closing the door of another one. — The bodies of the nine Palestinian martyrs in the morgue.

In the city of Tulkarem, the Israeli occupation’s military operation destroyed roads and infrastructure as well as houses and private property in the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps. The operation lasted for more than 43 consecutive hours, during which the occupation killed nine Palestinians, including two women and a child.

Tulkarem Camp:

A street bordered by buildings on both sides, turned into a mud road littered with debris and with very large puddles of water. In the background, children are playing. On the right, some Palestinian inhabitants are clearing debris off the road. — Destruction in the Tulkarem camp after the Israeli incursion.

Israeli occupation bulldozers destroyed much of the camp’s infrastructure, which had already been severely damaged during the previous Israeli military incursions. They also targeted the camp citizens’ property, including shops, cars, and houses. Palestinian inhabitants of the Tulkarem camp often describe it as having become a microcosm of what is happening in Gaza.

A city road bordered by palm trees, with two large armoured military vehicles rolling towards the left. — Military vehicles during the Israeli incursion in Tulkarem.

The municipality and the Palestinian Civil Defense crews are trying to repair the destroyed infrastructure, streets, houses, and water pipes — as much as is possible.

Nur shams camp:

A city road with an armoured military car advancing towards the camera, followed by a large tank and a bulldozer (rolling besides the road). — The Israeli incursion in Nur Shams camp.

In the Nur Shams camp, the Israeli occupation bulldozers destroyed the property of citizens along al-Sikka Street-Nablus Street and several shops, including a pharmacy. The Israeli incursion has made the day-to-day unlivable for the residents of the camps in Tulkarm and Nur Shams.

In the past year, the Israeli occupation has been brutally targeting Palestinian populations. Military operations waged by Israel in the West Bank camps threaten the future of Palestinian refugees and their homes.

A young girl stands in the doorway of a house that is partially destroyed. Directly in front of her, the street is reduced to large piles of rubble. — A young Palestinian girl in her home in Tulkarem.

The National Action factions declared a state of mourning for the city of Tulkarem following these massacres in both Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps. The nine martyrs were mourned, seven of them from Tulkarem camp, another from Nur Shams camp and another in the town of Gavin. They added: “An Israeli warplane targeted Palestinians in the Tulkarm camp, paying no attention to children playing or being near their homes, nor to women.”

A young man is lying dead on a red stretcher on the ground. There is a crowd around him, including one woman with her back turned to the camera kneeling over him with her hands on his chest. — Farewell to one of the young martyrs.

The names of the martyrs are Mrs. Khawla Abdo, Baraa Al Attar, Fathi Salem, Mahmin Al- Akhras, Mahmoud Amar, Ahmed Amarna, Omran Haroun, Qusay Okasha, Jumaa Salem.

A woman is raising her arms to the sky, looking devastated. Several people stand behind her, including an oler woman who is crying. They are standing in a city street. — The sister of the martyr Fathi Salem mourns her brother.

According to the Palestinian Health Organization and the Shirin Abu Akila Observatory, the number of Palestinian martyrs in the West Bank since October 7 has reached 835 martyrs, 196 of which in Tulkarem.

The Crime Scene Repeats

By Diana Khwaelid | December 19, 2024

Six Palestinians were killed in Israeli operations in Tulkarem and Balata camps in less than three hours on the morning of Thursday 19 December.

Four Palestinian youths were killed by Israeli forces in Tulkarem camp, in the latest of a string of outrages there.

At noon on Thursday 19 December, a civilian car carrying four Palestinians in the Al-Balawneh neighborhood of Tulkarem Camp exploded, killing the four passengers.

Eyewitnesses from Balawneh said that at around 1:30pm they heard the blast and saw a car in flames with four young men inside.

Thaer Sheikh Ali was at home at the time of the explosion. He describes it as powerful. He went out to see what happened, and says, “The bodies of the martyrs in the car were completely burned to the point that their shapes changed.” He adds that he saw an injured Palestinian on the ground, who was then taken to hospital.

Photo: Farewell to the martyrs in the refrigerators

According to the Palestinian eyewitnesses, they tried hard to extinguish the flames. Palestinian medical teams rushed to the scene to retrieve the bodies of the four martyrs from inside the car.

Balawneh is a busy neighborhood bustling with Palestinian residents and houses. That did not prevent the occupation forces from targeting the car.

On the same day, the Israeli occupation forces stormed Tulkarem with bulldozers in a five-hour destruction operation in both Balawneh and Okasha neighborhoods.

The Tulkarem refugee camp in Tulkarem City has seen many killings by the occupation forces, especially since 7 October last year. The lengthening list of martyrs causes deep sadness in the camp. These latest four are described as “the most beautiful ornaments of the camp”.

The National Action factions in the city of Tulkarem declared a period of mourning across the city for the four youths.

Balata Camp

On the same Thursday morning, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the Balata camp east of the city of Nablus to arrest a Palestinian militant in the camp. They failed, but Israeli snipers, while stationed in the camp, opened fire on unarmed civilians in the camp – killing, according to the Palestinian Health Organization, two Palestinians, including 80-year-old elderly woman. These are two more martyrs in the intensive attacks on this part of the West Bank.