Latest news with #Shawish
Khaleej Times
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Gaza war: At least 12 killed as Israel clears Nur Shams refugee camp in West Bank
Israeli troops demolished houses and cleared a wide roadway through the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, in a weeks-long operation against militant groups that has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. The operation, during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has halted fighting there for the past six weeks, has emptied some of the biggest refugee camps in the northern West Bank in what some Palestinians see as a trial run for wider clearances later. Nur Shams, outside the city of Tulkarm, is the latest camp to be virtually emptied of its inhabitants following a camp in the volatile city of Jenin to the east and a separate camp within Tulkarm itself. Residents say bulldozers have been clearing a broad roadway through the area where houses once stood to create easy access for military vehicles, continuing one of the Israeli military's biggest operations in the West Bank for years. Of the usual population of some 13,000, almost none was left inside the main camp, said Nihad al-Shawish, head of the Nur Shams camp services committee. "There were about 3,000 people left in the camp and as of today, they have all left," he said. "There are still some people just outside on the outskirts but there is no one left in the camp." There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has previously said its operation aims to root out fighters from Iranian-backed militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that have established strongholds in the camps of the northern West Bank. At least 12 people have been killed in Tulkarm during the operation, including both armed militants and civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had made hundreds of arrests in the northern West Bank over recent weeks, confiscating 120 weapons and destroying hundreds of explosive devices. Gaza-style demolition The military has denied issuing formal evacuation orders to residents of the camp, a crowded township housing descendants of Palestinians who fled their homes or were forced out in the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. But as in Jenin, residents have fled with whatever possessions they could carry in shopping bags or rucksacks as the Israeli bulldozers have demolished buildings and torn up roads, leaving the camp resembling the ruins of Gaza. "People are leaving with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They need food, clothing, baby milk, everything, Shawish said. Shawish said the operation, which has coincided with Israeli moves to cut out the main United Nations Palestinian relief organization UNRWA by closing its headquarters in Jerusalem, appeared to be a test to prepare for similar moves against refugee camps across the whole of the West Bank. "If it succeeds, they will export it to all the camps," he said. The operation has drawn widespread international criticism and comes amid heightened fears among Palestinians of an organized effort by Israel to formally annex the West Bank, the area seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. US President Donald Trump, who recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital during his first term, has not yet indicated whether he would support annexation, a move that could complicate efforts to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. But he has already proposed moving Palestinians out of Gaza to make way for a US property development, and has said he will give his position on the West Bank, which the Palestinians see as the core of a future independent state along with Gaza, in the near future. For Palestinians, such talk has revived memories of the 'Nakba' or catastrophe when some 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes after the 1948 war and became refugees.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel clears another refugee camp as squeeze on West Bank tightens
By Ali Sawafta and James Mackenzie RAMALLAH (Reuters) - Israeli troops demolished houses and cleared a wide roadway through the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, in a weeks-long operation against militant groups that has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. The operation, during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has halted fighting there for the past six weeks, has emptied some of the biggest refugee camps in the northern West Bank in what some Palestinians see as a trial run for wider clearances later. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Nur Shams, outside the city of Tulkarm, is the latest camp to be virtually emptied of its inhabitants following a camp in the volatile city of Jenin to the east and a separate camp within Tulkarm itself. Residents say bulldozers have been clearing a broad roadway through the area where houses once stood to create easy access for military vehicles, continuing one of the Israeli military's biggest operations in the West Bank for years. Of the usual population of some 13,000, almost none was left inside the main camp, said Nihad al-Shawish, head of the Nur Shams camp services committee. "There were about 3,000 people left in the camp and as of today, they have all left," he said. "There are still some people just outside on the outskirts but there is no one left in the camp." There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has previously said its operation aims to root out fighters from Iranian-backed militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that have established strongholds in the camps of the northern West Bank. At least 12 people have been killed in Tulkarm during the operation, including both armed militants and civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had made hundreds of arrests in the northern West Bank over recent weeks, confiscating 120 weapons and destroying hundreds of explosive devices. GAZA-STYLE DEMOLITION The military has denied issuing formal evacuation orders to residents of the camp, a crowded township housing descendants of Palestinians who fled their homes or were forced out in the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. But as in Jenin, residents have fled with whatever possessions they could carry in shopping bags or rucksacks as the Israeli bulldozers have demolished buildings and torn up roads, leaving the camp resembling the ruins of Gaza. "People are leaving with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They need food, clothing, baby milk, everything, Shawish said. Shawish said the operation, which has coincided with Israeli moves to cut out the main United Nations Palestinian relief organization UNRWA by closing its headquarters in Jerusalem, appeared to be a test to prepare for similar moves against refugee camps across the whole of the West Bank. "If it succeeds, they will export it to all the camps," he said. The operation has drawn widespread international criticism and comes amid heightened fears among Palestinians of an organized effort by Israel to formally annex the West Bank, the area seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. U.S. President Donald Trump, who recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital during his first term, has not yet indicated whether he would support annexation, a move that could complicate efforts to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. But he has already proposed moving Palestinians out of Gaza to make way for a U.S. property development, and has said he will give his position on the West Bank, which the Palestinians see as the core of a future independent state along with Gaza, in the near future. For Palestinians, such talk has revived memories of the 'Nakba' or catastrophe when some 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes after the 1948 war and became refugees.
Arab News
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israel clears another refugee camp as squeeze on West Bank tightens
RAMALLAH: Israeli troops demolished houses and cleared a wide roadway through the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, in a weeks-long operation against militant groups. The operation, during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has halted fighting there for the past six weeks, has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes and emptied some of the biggest refugee camps in the northern West Bank in what some Palestinians see as a trial run for wider clearances later. Nur Shams, outside the city of Tulkarm, is the latest camp to be virtually emptied of its inhabitants following a camp in the volatile city of Jenin to the east and a separate camp within Tulkarm itself. Residents say bulldozers have been clearing a broad roadway through the area where houses once stood to create easy access for military vehicles, continuing one of the Israeli military's biggest operations in the West Bank for years. Of the usual population of some 13,000, almost none was left inside the main camp, said Nihad Al-Shawish, head of the Nur Shams camp services committee. 'There were about 3,000 people left in the camp and as of today, they have all left,' he said. 'There are still some people just outside on the outskirts but there is no one left in the camp.' There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has previously said its operation aims to root out fighters from Iranian-backed militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that have established strongholds in the camps of the northern West Bank. At least 12 people have been killed in Tulkarm during the operation, including both armed militants and civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had made hundreds of arrests in the northern West Bank over recent weeks, confiscating 120 weapons and destroying hundreds of explosive devices. Gaza-style demolition The military has denied issuing formal evacuation orders to residents of the camp, a crowded township housing descendants of Palestinians who fled their homes or were forced out in the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. But as in Jenin, residents have fled with whatever possessions they could carry in shopping bags or rucksacks as the Israeli bulldozers have demolished buildings and torn up roads, leaving the camp resembling the ruins of Gaza. 'People are leaving with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They need food, clothing, baby milk, everything, Shawish said. Shawish said the operation, which has coincided with Israeli moves to cut out the main United Nations Palestinian relief organization UNRWA by closing its headquarters in Jerusalem, appeared to be a test to prepare for similar moves against refugee camps across the whole of the West Bank. 'If it succeeds, they will export it to all the camps,' he said. The operation has drawn widespread international criticism and comes amid heightened fears among Palestinians of an organized effort by Israel to formally annex the West Bank, the area seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. US President Donald Trump, who recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital during his first term, has not yet indicated whether he would support annexation, a move that could complicate efforts to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. But he has already proposed moving Palestinians out of Gaza to make way for a US property development, and has said he will give his position on the West Bank, which the Palestinians see as the core of a future independent state along with Gaza, in the near future. For Palestinians, such talk has revived memories of the 'Nakba' or catastrophe when some 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes after the 1948 war and became refugees.
Reuters
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Israel clears another refugee camp as squeeze on West Bank tightens
RAMALLAH, March 3 (Reuters) - Israeli troops demolished houses and cleared a wide roadway through the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, in a weeks-long operation against militant groups that has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. The operation, during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has halted fighting there for the past six weeks, has emptied some of the biggest refugee camps in the northern West Bank in what some Palestinians see as a trial run for wider clearances later. Nur Shams, outside the city of Tulkarm, is the latest camp to be virtually emptied of its inhabitants following a camp in the volatile city of Jenin to the east and a separate camp within Tulkarm itself. Residents say bulldozers have been clearing a broad roadway through the area where houses once stood to create easy access for military vehicles, continuing one of the Israeli military's biggest operations in the West Bank for years. Of the usual population of some 13,000, almost none was left inside the main camp, said Nihad al-Shawish, head of the Nur Shams camp services committee. "There were about 3,000 people left in the camp and as of today, they have all left," he said. "There are still some people just outside on the outskirts but there is no one left in the camp." There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has previously said its operation aims to root out fighters from Iranian-backed militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that have established strongholds in the camps of the northern West Bank. At least 12 people have been killed in Tulkarm during the operation, including both armed militants and civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had made hundreds of arrests in the northern West Bank over recent weeks, confiscating 120 weapons and destroying hundreds of explosive devices. GAZA-STYLE DEMOLITION The military has denied issuing formal evacuation orders to residents of the camp, a crowded township housing descendants of Palestinians who fled their homes or were forced out in the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. But as in Jenin, residents have fled with whatever possessions they could carry in shopping bags or rucksacks as the Israeli bulldozers have demolished buildings and torn up roads, leaving the camp resembling the ruins of Gaza. "People are leaving with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They need food, clothing, baby milk, everything, Shawish said. Shawish said the operation, which has coincided with Israeli moves to cut out the main United Nations Palestinian relief organization UNRWA by closing its headquarters in Jerusalem, appeared to be a test to prepare for similar moves against refugee camps across the whole of the West Bank. "If it succeeds, they will export it to all the camps," he said. The operation has drawn widespread international criticism and comes amid heightened fears among Palestinians of an organized effort by Israel to formally annex the West Bank, the area seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. U.S. President Donald Trump, who recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital during his first term, has not yet indicated whether he would support annexation, a move that could complicate efforts to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. But he has already proposed moving Palestinians out of Gaza to make way for a U.S. property development, and has said he will give his position on the West Bank, which the Palestinians see as the core of a future independent state along with Gaza, in the near future. For Palestinians, such talk has revived memories of the 'Nakba' or catastrophe when some 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes after the 1948 war and became refugees.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scottish Palestinian says aid block in Gaza aims to 'bring people to their knees'
A SCOTTISH Palestinian has said Israel's blockade stopping humanitarian aid from entering Gaza does not just affect Hamas but aims to bring its people 'to their knees'. Wael Shawish, 65, who was born in east Jerusalem and is now based in Glasgow in Scotland, said the latest move from Israel is not surprising to Palestinians. Israel has stopped the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip and has warned of 'additional consequences' if Hamas does not accept a new proposal for a ceasefire extension. A Hamas spokesperson said blocking supplies to Gaza was 'cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack on the (ceasefire) agreement'. READ MORE: Shawish, a retired business analyst, said starving Palestinians is the 'last part of the equation' for Israel. 'Nothing is surprising us. As far as what Israel does, they are trying very hard to bring everybody to their knees,' Shawish told the PA news agency. 'I don't mean just the fighters and Hamas. I think even the people who have lost their homes, lost their businesses, lost their livelihood, their schools, universities, hospitals, they must now bring the people to their knees. 'Starving them is the last part of the equation.' The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which Hamas is expected to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel has said it supports a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire through Ramadan, the Muslim holy month which began during the weekend, and the Jewish Passover holiday which ends on April 20. It said the proposal came from the Trump administration's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Shawish said that despite this most recent challenge the people of Palestine will prevail. 'That's what the West and the Israelis can't understand is that the resistance is there, the will to stay is there,' he said. Shawish (below), who came to study in the UK aged 20, was unable to return to his home in east Jerusalem when he finished his studies. (Image: PA Wires) He has now spent the last 45 years living 'in exile' in the UK. 'They didn't push me on a boat. They didn't push me on a truck or a bus or I wasn't made to walk over the border. They just closed the door behind me,' he said. 'There are hundreds of thousands of people like me.' Shawish, who is a member of the Scottish Palestinian Society, said that he has found community and support from other Palestinians in Glasgow. 'Everybody is so traumatised. I feel like I'm in a long field of wounded people trying to fix who I can fix. That's how it feels being in Glasgow,' he said. 'Most people that I know have lost family or friends or it's difficult to even console them. 'Someone has lost every member of her family. She is now a sole member in this world.' Hamas's October 7 2023 attack killed around 1200 people while another 251 were taken hostage. Since then, Israel's military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
