Tulkarm: The Israeli occupation forces continue their assault on the city of Tulkarm and its refugee camp in occupied West Bank for the 126th consecutive day, and on Nur Shams camp for the 113th day, amid ongoing military reinforcements and escalating aggression.
According to Qatar News Agency, the occupation forces brought in additional military vehicles this Sunday morning from the western entrance of the city and patrolled its main streets. The siege remains in place on both Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, with intermittent gunfire and explosions reported, along with a heavy deployment of military vehicles and infantry units in and around the camps. Soldiers have been stopping and detaining residents attempting to return to their homes to retrieve belongings, often firing at them.
The sources added that over the past two weeks, Nur Shams camp witnessed the demolition of more than 20 residential buildings in its main neighborhoods. Adjacent buildings were also damaged in the process. This comes as part of an Israeli plan to demolish 106 buildings across both camps – 58 in Tulkarm and 48 in Nur Shams – to open new roads and alter the camps’ geographic layout.
Residents of 58 buildings in Tulkarm camp were served with immediate demolition notices last week. These buildings house more than 250 residential units. Occupation forces gave residents only three hours to evacuate through specific exits, all while intensifying their oppressive measures, including detention, abuse, and threats.
Meanwhile, the city has seen heightened military activity, with occupation vehicles and troops patrolling major streets and neighborhoods, blaring sirens provocatively, driving against traffic, and setting up surprise checkpoints – particularly around the central market, Nablus Street, and near Thabet Thabet Government Hospital. Civilians and vehicles have been subjected to stops, searches, interrogations, and harassment.
Since the beginning of the assault on the city and its camps, 13 people have been killed, including a child and two women – one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens have been wounded or detained, and over 4,200 families (more than 25,000 people) have been displaced from the two camps. The assault has also left more than 400 homes completely destroyed and another 2,573 partially damaged, in addition to widespread destruction of basic infrastructure. The camps’ entrances and alleys have been sealed off with earth mounds, turning them into isolated zones, nearly devoid of life.