Yesterday the Israeli Security Forces issued two new demolition orders, which would see 106 houses across Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps destroyed. These demolition orders, if enacted, would further entrench the displacement of thousands of Palestine Refugees in the northern West Bank.
Since 2023, Israeli Security Forces have forcibly displaced most residents of Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, by directly evicting them or by demolishing houses and camp infrastructure, making living conditions so unbearable that residents cannot remain.
The situation has dramatically escalated since the beginning of operation 'Iron Wall', which started in Tulkarm on 27 January 2025 - a week after it was launched in Jenin.
These orders continue a trend of mass demolitions conducted by the Israeli Security Forces in northern West Bank camps. They serve punitive and coercive objectives, targeting entire communities.
This practice constitutes collective punishment, categorically prohibited under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
By targeting civilian homes absent of immediate military necessity, the actions of the Israeli Security Forces bring about more than just physical destruction: they inflict lasting trauma and psychological harm. They perpetuate economic hardship. Families lose not only shelter but also their sense of dignity and safety.
These demolitions seek to alter the character of the camps and permanently shatter their social fabric.
Whilst the erasure of buildings or even entire camps will not eradicate the status of Palestine Refugees it will prolong the occupation and obstruct the path to a just solution.
These demolitions must stop, and those displaced be allowed to return to their homes unhindered and without delay.
ENDs-
UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.
UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
