A large-scale offensive in the occupied West Bank has, over the past several weeks, displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated refugee camps, increasingly resembling what some describe as Israel’s vision of annexation and forced displacement. Israeli forces regularly conduct raids targeting Palestinians in the West Bank, which has been under occupation since 1967. However, the current operation, ongoing since late January, has become the longest in two decades, leading to severe humanitarian consequences. The Israeli occupation forces claims it is targeting Palestinian resistances in the northern West Bank, initially focusing on Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps but has since expanded into other areas of the region. This situation is unprecedented both in its humanitarian impact and its broader political implications. The destruction of essential infrastructure, including electricity, sewage, and water systems, along with widespread damage to private homes within the camps, has raised significant concerns. This practice has become an Israeli norm since it has completely destroyed Gaza and killed around 60,000 and injured over 11,000 during a war continued for over 15 months, as there is no any legal or moral deterrent for Israel. Despite all these crimes, the international community turns a deaf ear and deals with what is happening in Gaza, and West Bank including use of food as a tool of war and the destruction of Palestinian camps, as something normal. What is worse is that Israel is being committing crimes more horrific than those it committed in Gaza and the West Bank over the course of about a year and a half. Raids and mass arrests in the West Bank have intensified since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023, affecting thousands of young people and serving as a key instrument in what many see as a policy of “collective punishment” against Palestinians. As a result of this escalation, approximately 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced from their homes in the northern West Bank, primarily from the refugee camps where the military operation began. Roland Friedrich, the Director of West Bank Affairs for UNRWA, stated that these camps are now “largely empty,” with their residents unable to return and struggling to find shelter elsewhere. In addition to displacement, these Palestinians face worsening financial hardships as they navigate life away from their homes.
