40,000 Palestinians Displaced From Refugee Camps in Occupied West Bank

Israeli troops have expelled three refugee camps in the northern occupied region of the West Bank, according to an announcement by Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz.  The camps are located in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams. Over 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced, with Katz claiming that those displaced will not be allowed to return

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said at least 27 people in Jenin and 70 across the West Bank have been killed during these Israeli offensives since the beginning of the year. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees stressed that, “Repeated and destructive operations have rendered the northern refugee camps uninhabitable, trapping residents in cyclical displacement.”

Israel has been carrying out ‘Operation Iron Wall’,  a military campaign focused on the northern region of the West Bank, since January 21st, just two days after the Gaza ceasefire began on January 19th. This operation saw the first official deployment of Israeli tanks to the West Bank since 2002.