Tag: Nur Shams

Israel’s attacks on refugee camps in the West Bank

By Diana Khwaelid — Northern West Bank — 8th May 2025

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 102nd consecutive day, and for the 89th day on the Nur Shams camp East of the city with a continuous escalation of raids, inspections, and demolition of homes and infrastructure.

This afternoon, May 8th, I stood on one of the elevated areas overlooking the Nur Shams refugee camp. This area, called Al-Ahraash, is situated in the city of Tulkarem in the north of the West Bank.

The Israeli military operation there started in mid-January of this year and is currently ongoing. It is part of what Israel has termed the ‘Operation Protective Fence,’ which focuses on the camps in the northern West Bank, especially the Tulkarem, Nur Shams and Jenin camps. This is the most violent and destructive operation since the Second Intifada in 2002.

A view over the Nur Shams camp. — A view over the Nur Shams refugee camp.

It is in this context that a notification of the decision to demolish 48 houses in Nur Shams camp and 58 houses in Tulkarm refugee camp was recently issued by the Israeli military. Today, dozens of Palestinians displaced from Nur Shams camp — women, children, youth, men —were sitting around me, anxiously and painfully waiting for the decisive moment of demolition of their homes or that of their relatives, with bulldozers and other military machines. There is little they can do to prevent the destruction of the home where they grew up before their very eyes.

The Israeli occupation forces granted as little as two hours to the Palestinian inhabitants to leave their homes after receiving the demolition notice. We have, however, now been waiting for three hours, during which we have monitored the movement of the occupation forces on the main street of the Nur Shams refugee camp, including heavy bulldozers.

The continuation of the Israeli operation on the camps in the northern West Bank led to the displacement of about 4,200 families from the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps and the destruction of 400 Palestinian homes completely and 2,573 homes partially, in addition to blocking home entrances with heavy fences.

Three young Palestinian children are sat amidst some trees in the sun. — Palestinian children anxiously await the demolition of their houses by the Israeli military.

While Israel as always claims the ‘Operation Protective Fence’ is fighting terrorism, it is itself an operation to terrorise all Palestinians in the West Bank. False arguments continue to be pushed and one crime after another are committed by Israel in all of Palestine, in the absence of international laws criminalising terrorism and war against civilians, who are now paying the price in both Gaza and the West Bank.
It is possible that Israel is planning to destroy the camps entirely, as suggested by the fact that it has targeted all UNRWA offices in the West Bank camps, especially in Jerusalem. This completely contradicts their claims of counterterrorism operations.

Through this process, Israel is also trying to destroy the social and political fabric in Palestine. The residents of the camp are separated into separate cantons and the population composition is dismantled. This risks turning the refugee camps into ordinary residential neighbourhoods under heavy surveillance which includes security guards and checkpoints. There will soon be no refugee camps left.

This is a serious problem, since the denomination of Palestinian refugees as such is essential as evidence of the displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 Nakba and the ongoing Israeli 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.

What is Happening in the Northern West Bank?

4 September 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Northern West Bank

By Diana Khwaelid

The radical Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has renewed his incitement to impose collective punishment on citizens in the occupied West Bank, including the killing of detainees in occupation prisons.

In the early hours of August 28, 2024, Israel announced the start of a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank, specifically targeting three cities and their refugee camps: Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas. Israel has named this operation “The Summer Camps,” while the resistance factions in the West Bank, particularly the Jerusalem Brigades, have called it “The Terror of the Camps”. This Israeli operation is the largest since the “Protective Fence” operation in 2002. According to the *Yedioth Ahronoth* newspaper, a full military squad was mobilized after several weeks of preparation. Hebrew Channel 14 confirmed that the army had deployed thousands of soldiers from various special units, including the use of military helicopters and heavy weapons.

The operation began with a simultaneous Israeli incursion into the three cities, using huge bulldozers and air cover. The Israeli occupation forces closed all roads leading to the cities of Tulkarm and Jenin, but encountered armed resistance from fighters who attempted to prevent further advancement. In response to the armed clashes on the ground, Israel resorted to airstrikes, bombing three different locations: the Far’a refugee camp (Tubas), the Nour Shams refugee camp (Tulkarm), and a site near the Jenin refugee camp. These bombings killed several resistance fighters and wounded others. The first day ended with the assassination of nine resistance fighters, most of them from the Al-Quds Brigades and the Al-Qassam Brigades, and the wounding of an Israeli soldier amid massive destruction to the infrastructure of several targeted cities.

A week ago, the occupation forces began a large-scale operation in the northern West Bank under the pretext of dismantling resistance cells. Since then, resistance fighters have been confronting them with explosive devices and gunfire, resulting in the deaths and injuries of several Israeli soldiers.

The operation has so far resulted in the martyrdom of 33 Palestinians and the injury of 130 others, causing significant destruction to the infrastructure in the cities and camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas. The Israeli occupation forces have not only liquidated several resisters in the Nur Shams refugee camp, northeast of Tulkarm, Jenin Camp, Tubas, and Nablus but also renewed their incursion into the city of Tulkarm on the evening of Monday, September 2. This time, they stationed themselves in the Tulkarm refugee camp, where the military operation is still ongoing.

The residents of the camps in the northern West Bank, particularly in the Tulkarm and Jenin camps, are experiencing a state of fear and terror. On Monday evening, Israeli occupation snipers targeted a civilian and his 15-year-old son. The father was transferred to the hospital, but the child died while attempting to leave the camp.

Israeli special forces also surrounded a Palestinian house in the village of Dhnaba, east of Tulkarm, and demanded the surrender of two Palestinian youths. According to eyewitnesses, they used a Palestinian child, no older than 16, as a human shield. The forces subsequently killed the two Palestinians, seized their bodies, and confiscated their private vehicle.

The Israeli occupation forces are also obstructing the movement of medical crews in the northern West Bank cities, particularly Tulkarm and Jenin, preventing them from entering the camps, transporting the injured, and assisting Palestinian patients in humanitarian cases.

The house that was surrounded and two Palestinians were executed in the village of Dhnabu

The Israeli occupation forces use a warplane to carry out an assassination in Nur Shams Camp

By Diana Khwaelid

Tulkarm-Nur Shams refugee camp

30 – Jun – 2024

The Israeli occupying forces carried out an assassination in partnership with the Israeli commander in charge of the north-central areas of the West Bank and The Israeli internal security service, an assassination in broad daylight in the Nur Shams refugee camp northeast of the city of Tulkarem in the West Bank.

At about 2: 00pm an Israeli warplane bombed a Palestinian house in the Al-Manshiyeh area of the camp,with Palestinian resistance members inside. The bombing resulted in the death of a Palestinian man, and injured five others. Two of them are in serious condition.

According to Palestinian eyewitnesses, there are at least four Palestinian houses damaged by this shelling, where women, children, and men were living inside and whose lives were threatenede as a result of shrapnel that penetrated the walls of their houses and the windows were broken from the force of the shelling.

A resident of Nour Shams Camp looks out of her window after the Israeli attack — A resident of Nur Shams Camp looks out of her window after the Israeli attack

A resident of Nour Shams sits amongst shrapnel strewn inside his home after the Israeli bombardment — A resident of Nur Shams sits amongst shrapnel strewn inside his home after the Israeli bombardment

The Palestinian medical and civil defense teams rushed to secure the house and the area. They recovered the injured and the body of the Palestinian martyr Saad Jaber, 24, who died as a result of his injury.

The residents of Nur al-Shams camp are living in a state of fear due to the increase in Israeli attacks on the camp over the past few months.

Hundreds of Palestinians mourned the Palestinian martyr Said Ezzat Jaber, 24, who Israeli occupation forces tried to assassinate more than once. The last time a few days ago, but he miraculously survived these attempts. Said is considered one of the most prominent Palestinian resisters in the camp and he died defending the camp today. The people of the camp are mourning him and saying goodbye for the last time.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, there are at least 116 martyrs in the city of Tulkarm since October 7.

The funeral of a martyr from Nour Shams — The funeral of a martyr from Nur Shams

Endless war – Nur Shams refugee camp

By Diana Khwaelid

30 December 2023 | International Solidarity Movement | Tulkarm

A new Israeli incursion into the Nur Shams refugee camp continues an endless war of destruction after destruction.

On the night of Sunday December 30th dozens of military vehicles, including D9 bulldozers, stormed the city of Tulkarm and the Nur Shams refugee camp northeast of the city.

This invasion took place around midnight where the occupation forces surrounded the hospitals in the city, obstructing the movement of ambulances in transporting the injured Palestinians to hospitals.

Several people standing and walking through a street with houses partially destroyed. — The citizens taking stock of partially broken houses.

The Israeli occupation forces besieged the Nur Shams refugee camp for at least 11 continuous hours, from Sunday evening until Monday morning at 10:00 AM. During this, they destroyed infrastructure, cut off electricity, destroyed the water network and cut internet and communication lines.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Red Crescent crews dealt with several injuries on people from both the Nur Shams refugee camp and Tulkarm camp, including a serious injury to a person from Tulkarm camp after the storming of this camp, which took place simultaneously with the storming of Tulkarm city and Nur Shams camp by the Israeli Occupation Forces .

Dalal and Ahmed Khalifa, two Palestinian citizens of the camp whose house was invaded by the Occupation Forces said that the Israeli occupation forces broke into the house at about 3:00 AM.

Picture from inside Dalal Khalifa and her son Ahmed's house following the IOF invasion. Bullets are lying on the floor. — Picture from inside Dalal Khalifa and her son Ahmed’s house following the IOF invasion.

“The occupation forces confiscated all the family’s phones and our IDs, destroyed the house, broke windows and doors, conducted an investigation inside the house, and interrogated all family members, including women.” explained Dalal.

“The Israeli occupation forces did not take into account the presence of children and women in the house, as there were 5 children and two women in the house at the time of the break-in,” she said. “One of the soldiers stole my wallet and stole some of my money, and their break-in continued for at least 5 continuous hours until they left the next morning at 7:30 am.“

78-year-old Hassan Jabari whose house was damaged, explained that “The Israeli occupation forces broke into my house in the camp, and destroyed it from the inside, destroying household furniture and breaking windows. Half of my house was demolished.”

A picture of an older man, Hassan Jabari, clearing rubble from a half destroyed house. — Hassan Jabari clears rubble from his house following the IOF invasion.

“Thank God I was not at home at the time of the storming of the camp. I was at my daughter’s house in Thenaba – one of the villages next to the camp.” He added.

In the recent incursion into the camp, dozens of Palestinian homes were partially or fully destroyed both from inside and outside. The wall belonging to one of the UNRWA international institutions in the camp was destroyed.

During December, the Nur Shams refugee camp has been stormed at least 5 times.