Israel Orders Closure of All UNRWA Schools in Jerusalem
Israa Farhan
Tensions escalated in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian woman near the village of Haris, while violent clashes broke out at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, injuring dozens of students.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities ordered the closure of all United Nations Relief and Works Agency (
UNRWA
) schools in Jerusalem within 30 days, as plans are underway to transfer students to Israeli municipality-run schools.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Palestinian General Authority for Civil Affairs
confirmed
the death of Amana Ibrahim Mohammed Yaqoub, 30, who was shot by Israeli forces near Salfit, south of Nablus. Her body was found lying by the roadside near Haris village.
Amana Yaqoub, a mother of three and a lawyer from the nearby village of Biddya, was reportedly killed close to Salfit and the Ariel settlement, an area dense with Israeli settlements.
A video circulating online showed her body surrounded by Israeli soldiers, two of whom were seen covering her with a sheet.
Israeli forces have expanded military operations across the West Bank, intensifying actions in the governorates of Tulkarem and Jenin. Settler groups also renewed attacks against Palestinians and their properties.
The Israeli army launched a series of raids and searches in various parts of the West Bank, leading to multiple arrests and property damage. Armed clashes broke out in several areas, further fueling tensions.
At Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, nearly 30 students were injured after Israeli forces stormed the campus and targeted demonstrators with tear gas canisters, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
In Nablus, Israeli forces installed iron gates and military checkpoints to restrict movement, while a drone attack in Jenin refugee camp caused a large explosion in the Al-Damj neighborhood.
In a separate development, Israeli bulldozers demolished seven homes and several commercial, industrial, and agricultural structures in the West Bank, citing lack of building permits. Meanwhile, settler groups set fire to a wedding hall and spray-painted racist slogans near Salfit.
In Jerusalem, Israeli forces delivered official closure orders to all UNRWA-run schools, giving them 30 days to cease operations.
Arrangements are being made to transfer students to schools managed by the Israeli municipality. The operation involved a large-scale raid in the Shuafat refugee camp, where Israeli forces inspected staff identities at UNRWA schools and raided multiple homes.
Local sources reported that four UNRWA schools in Shuafat, covering both elementary and basic education levels for boys and girls, were targeted.
UNRWA operates key facilities in the area, including the Shuafat and Qalandiya refugee camps, the Indian Corner Clinic, and several other schools across Jerusalem and Sur Baher.
The closure of UNRWA schools is expected to have significant consequences for Palestinian refugee education in the occupied territories, amid rising tensions and ongoing confrontations.
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