Latest news with #Tulkarm


Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli bulldozers flatten more Palestinian buildings in Tulkarm refugee camp
LONDON: Israeli forces have conducted demolitions for the third consecutive day in the Palestinian refugee camp of Tulkarm in the northern part of the West Bank, the site of military operations since January. On Sunday, Israeli bulldozers resumed demolition of numerous residential buildings in the camp. The demolitions are part of the destruction plan of 58 structures in Tulkarm and 48 in the Nur Shams refugee camp. More than 250 housing units and dozens of commercial establishments have been destroyed in both locations, according to Wafa news agency. Residents say that an entire residential area in the Tulkarm camp has been reduced to rubble in recent days, with debris hindering access to surrounding buildings. Israeli operations in Tulkarm for the past 133 days and in Nur Shams for the past 120 days have resulted in the deaths of 13 Palestinians and the displacement of almost 25,000 residents. At least 400 homes have been destroyed and 2,573 damaged after Israeli forces sealed off roads and entrances with earth barriers and barred Palestinian residents from returning, the Wafa added.


Al Bawaba
5 days ago
- General
- Al Bawaba
Israeli settlers launch major attack on Deir Dibwan, injuring 35 and causing widespread destruction
ALBAWABA- Violence escalated across the occupied Palestinian territories on Wednesday, as Israeli settlers launched a large-scale attack on the West Bank village of Deir Dibwan, injuring at least 35 people and causing widespread destruction. According to Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses, dozens of settlers stormed the village, located east of Ramallah, setting fire to homes, vehicles, and agricultural land. The attack included the burning of the "Abu Shahada Farm" at the western entrance of the town and targeted homes belonging to the Abu Kaid family. Mayor of Deir Dibwan told Al Jazeera that 35 residents were injured, with Red Crescent emergency teams reporting several cases of physical assault. Two individuals were transferred to the hospital, while five others were treated at a local medical center. Eyewitnesses reported that families were besieged inside their homes as the settlers carried out arson attacks across the town. The violence in Deir Dibwan adds to a growing number of settler-led assaults in the West Bank, amid rising tensions across the region. Meanwhile, in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm, Israeli forces conducted a raid in the Kuttab neighborhood, reportedly assaulting residents and searching numerous buildings, according to local sources. In Gaza, the situation remains dire as Israeli troops opened fire near food distribution centers for the second time in three days. Palestinian health authorities confirmed that 27 people were killed in the latest shooting near an aid site, part of a contested humanitarian initiative backed by the U.S. and Israel. Dozens more have been killed across various parts of Gaza since the morning. The repeated targeting of aid areas has drawn sharp criticism from humanitarian groups and raised urgent concerns over the safety of civilians relying on food assistance in the besieged enclave.


New York Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
The Huge, Under-the-Radar Shift Happening in the West Bank
The streets looked like Gaza. Homes reduced to rubble, walls pockmarked by bullet holes, roads ripped apart by bulldozers. Neighborhood after neighborhood was deserted. But this was not Gaza, a territory devastated by the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas, where tens of thousands have been killed and hunger stalks the population. It was the occupied West Bank, another Palestinian territory where the Israeli military has been tightening control in the most sweeping crackdown on militancy there in a generation. The contours of the new offensive were unfolding during a recent visit by New York Times reporters to the city of Jenin, among the once densely populated neighborhoods that have been cleared out since an operation began in January. In one of those areas, more than 10,000 people lived until recently. Now, it is empty — its roads blocked by mounds of dirt and flanked by piles of rubble. This week, the Israeli military said it would be demolishing homes in Tulkarm, a city near Jenin, to make crowded neighborhoods and streets more accessible to Israeli forces and to prevent the re-emergence of militants.


The National
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Palestinians rush to retrieve belongings as West Bank braces for major Israeli demolitions
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza The occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm is bracing for a major round of Israeli home demolitions, 100 days after the military began assaulting the city in an unprecedented campaign that threatens several formerly densely populated refugee camps. Palestinian social media channels last week circulated notifications to residents of two refugee camps in the city, Tulkarem and Nur Shams, that buildings would be destroyed 'for military purposes'. Fifty-eight homes were listed for destruction in Tulkarm Camp and 48 at Nur Shams, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. It said the first 15 would be destroyed on Monday at Nur Shams. Residents said they were given two hours by the Israeli military to retrieve goods from homes listed for demolition on Tuesday morning. Footage on social media showed Palestinians hastily loading possessions on to trailers. Israel has used previously heavy machinery and explosives to destroy homes and streets. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced since the start of the Israeli military operation, which it calls 'Iron Wall'. The operations have added pressure on authorities in a region that has been suffering economically since Israel significantly increased restrictions following the start of the Gaza War. Tel Aviv says it is 'fighting terror'. The campaign began in the nearby city of Jenin in January and soon spread to refugee camps in neighbouring cities. Although the region has seen an increased rate of raids in recent years, 'Iron Wall' is unprecedented in its length and goals, which appear to be to permanently change the structure of the occupied West Bank's most restive refugee camps, hotbeds of Palestinian militancy. Youssef Fandaka, vice chairman of Nur Shams's Popular Service Committee, criticised Palestinian Authority proposals to house the displaced in mobile homes and tents, saying they 'take us back to the bad memories of the Nakba and threaten to create new camps and therefore a new Nakba'. The Nakba, which means 'catastrophe' in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the 1948 War. 'We fear that temporary solutions will turn into permanent ones. If the temporary alternative will last for years, we prefer to remain on the streets rather than live in these mobile homes,' Mr Fandaka told The National. Israel's military told The National the demolitions are part of its mission to implement 'changes within the camps – including paving routes and roads – to improve mobility for the soldiers and to prevent the re-establishment of terrorist activity in the area'. 'The decision to demolish these structures is based on operational necessity and was made only after considering alternative options. Given the number of buildings slated for demolition, and despite the urgency of continuing counterterrorism operations, the matter has been publicly announced four days in advance. The public is invited to contact the authorities to explore options for evacuating their belongings from the buildings.'


Saba Yemen
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Israeli aggression against Tulkarm continues for 55th day
Tulkarm - Saba: The Zionist enemy continues its aggression against the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 55th consecutive day, and for the 42nd day against the Nour Shams camp, amid an ongoing military escalation that includes raids on homes, seizing them, and converting them into military barracks after forcibly evacuating their residents. The Palestinian News Agency, citing local sources, reported that Zionist enemy forces raided homes in the Muqata'a neighborhood in Tulkarm camp at dawn on Saturday and informed all residents to leave, amidst the firing of sound bombs to intimidate them. They were given until 12 noon to leave. Meanwhile, the al-Tawil and al-Alariya families in the Abu al-Foul neighborhood were informed to evacuate their homes. Over the past few days, Tulkarm camp has witnessed a massive exodus of the remaining residents of its outlying neighborhoods, including Qaqun, Abu al-Ful, Maraba'a Hanoun, al-Hadaida, and al-Matar. The exodus was forced by the Zionist enemy to leave through threats and intimidation at gunpoint. The camp has become virtually empty of its residents, with more than 12,000 refugees displaced. In this context, Zionist enemy forces continued their military aggression in the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, under a tight siege. They deployed more vehicles and infantry units into the neighborhoods and alleyways, accompanied by extensive searches of homes, shops, and businesses after raiding them. They fired sound bombs and live ammunition. They continue to seize a number of homes and residential buildings within and around the camps, turning them into military barracks after forcibly forcing their residents to leave. Last night, Israeli forces escalated their military measures in Tulkarm, forcing more residents of several residential buildings in the Da'irat al-Sir neighborhood in the northern part of the city, adjacent to Nablus Street, to evacuate them. These buildings include al-Waha, al-Muhannad, Abu al-Foul, and the Younis family home. Dozens of families were forced to leave their apartments, giving them less than two hours to evacuate, and the buildings were turned into closed military barracks. This escalation is part of a series of measures implemented by Israeli forces in the city, including the seizure of homes and residential buildings, specifically on Nablus Street and the adjacent area of buildings in the northern neighborhood, and converting them into military sites. They also increased their military presence on the street, imposing measures to restrict the movement of vehicles and civilians. Israeli bulldozers blocked sections of Nablus Street, adjacent to the entrances to Tulkarm refugee camp, with earth mounds. They also seized a number of vehicles as they passed through the street and used them to block sections of it, after searching them, seizing their keys, and detaining their owners. Enemy forces destroyed a traffic light in the area, specifically near Al-Firdaws Mosque, smashed ornamental trees along the street, searched passing vehicles, and tightened restrictions on citizens' movement. Enemy forces dispatched new military reinforcements to the city, where their vehicles patrolled the city's streets and neighborhoods, obstructing the movement of vehicles and civilians. They raided several shops, vandalized their contents, and subjected employees to interrogation. The ongoing Zionist aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its two camps has resulted in the deaths of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens have also been injured and arrested, and more than 24,000 people have been forcibly displaced from the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, along with dozens of families from the city's northern neighborhood. The aggression has also caused extensive damage to the infrastructure, including homes, shops, and vehicles, which have been completely or partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and stolen. The entrances and alleys of the camps have also been closed with earth mounds. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print