Israel Demolishes 25 Palestinian Homes in West Bank Refugee Camp

Nur Shams: Israeli bulldozers demolished 25 buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp, home to around 100 Palestinian families, in northern West Bank. The Israeli military said the operation aimed to target armed groups operating within densely populated civilian areas.

AFP reporters at the scene described thick plumes of dust as bulldozers and cranes tore through the structures, with many residents watching helplessly from a distance. Mutaz Mahr, whose building was demolished, called the action “deeply painful,” adding, “The occupation tries by every means to wear us down and pressure us.”

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Nihaya al-Jendi, a member of Nur Shams’s popular committee, said hundreds of families had been displaced even before the military’s earlier operations this year, and more than 1,500 families remain unable to return. She called the demolitions “a major catastrophe – a real humanitarian disaster for Palestinian refugees.”

The Israeli military stated that the demolitions were part of ongoing counterterrorism operations in northern Samaria. According to the military, Major General Avi Bluth, commander of the Central Command, ordered the destruction of the buildings due to “a clear and necessary operational need”. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that operations in Nur Shams, Tulkarem, and Jenin had reduced “terrorist activity” in the region by 80 percent. He added that Israeli troops would remain on the ground to serve as a “clear buffer” between civilians and militants.

The demolitions are part of a broader Israeli strategy to improve access for military vehicles in the densely built refugee camps of the West Bank. Established after the 1948 Palestinian displacement, Nur Shams and other camps have evolved into densely populated neighborhoods, with refugee status passed down through generations. Many residents view these demolitions as an attempt by Israel to dismantle the camps themselves and undermine the Palestinian refugee issue.

The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, and tensions remain high in refugee camps such as Nur Shams, which have historically been flashpoints for clashes between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces.