UN Report Accuses Israel of Forcible Displacement in West Bank Refugee Camps
A report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released Friday alleges that Israeli forces "forcibly displaced" residents from three Palestinian refugee camps in the occupied West Bank during January and February 2025, preventing their return and violating international law. The report, titled "Destruction of Palestinian Refugee Camps in the Northern West Bank," states that Israeli military, police, and other forces caused civilian deaths, destroyed hundreds of homes, damaged roads, cut off water and electricity, and blocked humanitarian aid to the Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm camps. It also details house-to-house searches aimed at compelling residents to leave.
By October 2025, approximately 52% of buildings in Jenin camp, 48% in Nur Shams, and 36% in Tulkarm were destroyed or damaged. The OHCHR, based on independent monitoring, confirmed that Israeli forces intensified their control over the camps post-operation, forcing residents out. Some displaced Palestinians reported Israeli officers telling them "there would be no more refugee camps" and that they should go to Jordan. The report raises serious concerns that the "widespread, prolonged, and systematic displacement" of over 33,000 Palestinians from these camps may constitute the crime of forced displacement against humanity.
The OHCHR stated that the use of airstrikes, armored bulldozers, and controlled explosions to render camps uninhabitable, coupled with preventing residents' return without urgent military necessity, is impermissible under international law and may amount to collective punishment or ethnic cleansing. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk indicated that the "manner of execution" of the Israeli operation suggests an intent to expel as many Palestinians as possible, potentially to make way for illegal Israeli settlements, a "blatant violation of international law."
Türk called on Israel to end its occupation, cease forced displacement, and fulfill its international legal obligations, referencing the International Court of Justice's call to end its illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories. The report documented the deaths of approximately 102 Palestinians, including 21 children, during the operation, accounting for 46% of all Israeli killings in the West Bank during that period. It noted the use of weapons like combat drones and shoulder-fired explosive projectiles, designed for warfare rather than law enforcement, leading to civilian casualties.
The report highlighted specific cases, including the killing of an eight-month pregnant woman, Sundus Shalabi, and a 10-year-old boy, Saddam Hussein Rajab, who was shot while waiting to go to a mosque. A two-year-old girl was also killed by a bullet to the head. While Israeli authorities claimed those killed were "terrorists," an internal Israeli investigation into Shalabi's death reportedly concluded she was shot for "suspiciously looking at the ground." This follows reports of the Israeli military easing engagement rules in the West Bank to allow live ammunition against individuals suspected of planting explosives.
On February 23, 2025, Israel's Minister of Defense ordered the army to remain in the three camps and declared that displaced Palestinians would not be allowed to return. As of July of the current year, UNRWA reported that approximately 33,362 displaced Palestinian refugees from these camps remain in a state of forced displacement.
