Escalating displacement: Israeli actions raise concerns across West Bank

Over 34,000 Palestinian refugees from those camps remain displaced, more than a year after Israel’s “Iron Wall” operation commenced in January 2025. That operation resulted in the destruction of over half of the residential buildings within the camps.

While OCHA’s records document a portion of the destruction, they only capture a fraction of the overall impact. Between 2009 and October 2026, the agency recorded the demolition of 1,399 buildings in the Jenin and Tulkarem governorates, displacing 4,139 individuals. These records primarily focus on demolitions due to permit issues or punitive actions, not those resulting from military operations.

Forensic Architecture’s investigation revealed evidence of deliberate and systematic destruction. Researchers confirmed more than 200 incidents involving the demolition of buildings and streets across four refugee camps, utilizing armored bulldozers, controlled demolitions, and aerial attacks. The investigation also found that roadways were expanded through residential areas, including homes and gardens, to facilitate military vehicle access. The group concluded that Israel was employing tactics in the occupied West Bank similar to those previously used in Gaza.

In February 2025, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Tulkarem and Jenin would be transformed to resemble Jabalia and Shujayea, two of Gaza’s most heavily damaged areas.

Israeli forces recently detained four Palestinians in Tulkarem and converted homes into military barracks in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, mirroring actions seen in Hebron.

Near Jenin, the army has issued orders for the permanent evacuation of an entire village. Farmer Jabri Yahya expressed his distress, stating, “I have sheep and cows. Our entire lives are tied to this land. Last year they uprooted our olive trees, and this year they want to force us to leave. We don’t know where to go.”