WEST BANK, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) issued new demolition orders on Thursday for dozens of homes in Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, citing “military purposes” as part of an ongoing military operation that has entered its fourth consecutive month.
Local sources reported that a true and extensive demolition massacre is being planned in Tulkarem, with 58 buildings marked for demolition in Tulkarem camp and 48 buildings in Nur Shams camp to the east.
According to the sources, the demolition scheme extends from Schools Street through to the Al-Balauna neighborhood in Tulkarem Camp, partially overlapping with the first phase of demolition and cutting across the area.
According to the Israeli blueprints, the IOF seeks to open large roads inside the camps as part of a wider re-engineering effort designed to serve military objectives and facilitate rapid incursions into the camps.
The sources noted that this follows similar schemes previously implemented in Jenin refugee camp, where more than a third of the camp was destroyed, and the demolished areas were converted into roads and streets, fragmenting the camp into smaller, more easily accessible neighborhoods for military forces.
The IOF troops continued their aggression against Tulkarem city and its two camps, marking the 95th consecutive day of raids in the city and the 82nd day in Nur Shams camp, amidst an escalation in military activities and ongoing raids.
The IOF deployed armored vehicles and infantry units across the city’s streets, particularly at Abu Safieh Junction, Shweikeh Roundabout, and Nablus Street, detaining several young men and subjecting them to field interrogations.
In Nur Shams camp, the IOF deliberately set fire to a house in the eastern Schools neighborhood, resulting in the destruction of the house and a nearby vehicle. Troops also raided the Thinnaba suburb, detaining and searching young men without officially recording any arrests.
Eyewitnesses reported that Adi Sarouji was arrested at his workplace at Shweikeh Roundabout and was physically assaulted before being released. The area continues to witness gunfire and repeated explosions amid a tightened siege and the closure of main entrances with earth mounds.
The IOF troops have stormed dozens of homes, vandalizing their contents, and converting residential buildings along Nablus Street and in the northern neighborhood into military outposts after forcibly evicting their residents.
This ongoing assault has thus far resulted in the martyrdom of 13 citizens, including a child and two women—one of whom was pregnant—as well as the injury and arrest of dozens, the displacement of more than 25,000 citizens from 4,200 families, and extensive destruction, with 396 homes being demolished and 2,573 partially damaged.
