In January 2025, Israeli military and security forces forcibly displaced the entire populations of three West Bank Palestinian refugee camps—Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm—during Operation Iron Wall, according to a UN report published today [1, 2, 3]. The operation involved killing civilians, destroying hundreds of homes and infrastructure, cutting off water and electricity, barring humanitarian aid, and door-to-door forced evacuations [1, 2, 3].
Approximately 102 Palestinians were killed, including 21 children, as Israeli forces used airstrikes, armored bulldozers, and controlled detonations to make the camps uninhabitable and prevent residents from returning [1, 2, 3]. More than 33,000 displaced Palestinians have remained unable to return to these camps as of July 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Israeli Defense Minister confirmed in February 2025 that the displaced would not be allowed to return and ordered a continued military presence in the area [1, 3].
The displacement and destruction affected large parts of the camps, with 52%, 48%, and 36% of buildings damaged or destroyed in Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm, respectively [1]. The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, with violence escalating significantly after new conflicts started on October 7, 2023 [3].
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said Israel "must end the 59-year occupation of Palestinian territory, stop forcibly displacing Palestinians and prevent further destruction of the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state" [1]. The UN rights office raised serious concerns that the actions may amount to crimes against humanity, including forcible transfer and ethnic cleansing [1, 2, 3].
Israel condemned the UN report, accusing it of spreading misinformation and ignoring security threats such as terrorism. Israel’s Geneva delegation described the UN human rights office as having "abandoned the principles of fairness, independence and neutrality, becoming a center of malicious activism" [2, 3].
The report’s release today follows ongoing international scrutiny of the West Bank situation and calls for renewed attention to the rights of displaced Palestinians [2, 3]. The UN report sets a focus on accountability and the urgent need to address the consequences of these displacements.
