WEST BANK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Faisal Salama, head of the Popular Committee for Services in Tulkarem Refugee Camp, has revealed the scale of destruction caused by ongoing Israeli military operations in the camp, reporting that 1,100 housing units have been completely destroyed and nearly 4,000 additional homes have been damaged, some by as much as 90%.
In press statements on Thursday, Salama said Tulkarem Camp has undergone unprecedented devastation and geographic transformation since October 7, 2023, as a result of continued Israeli military operations.
He said that the offensive has also destroyed around 1,000 businesses and 700 vehicles, forcing approximately 3,300 families to flee the camp and leaving many displaced under difficult humanitarian and living conditions.
According to Salama, Israeli forces have systematically demolished homes and carved new roads through their rubble in an effort to strengthen military control inside the camp. He said these actions have dramatically altered the camp’s urban landscape and erased many of its historic landmarks.
The changes have become so extensive, he added, that some residents can no longer identify the locations of their homes or recognize their former neighborhoods due to the widespread destruction.
Salama also said Israeli authorities have imposed strict restrictions on access to the camp, allowing only limited numbers of residents to enter while subjecting them to extensive searches, confiscating mobile phones, prohibiting photography, and denying entry to some individuals on security grounds.
Local and human rights organizations report that Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps have been subjected to a broad campaign of destruction that has displaced more than 25,000 Palestinians, many of whom have sought refuge in nearby towns and temporary shelters.
Ongoing demolitions have reportedly wiped entire neighborhoods off the map and erased prominent historical features. Numerous residents have stated that the extent of the destruction makes it impossible for them to recognize where their homes once stood.
Officials and analysts affirmed that what is taking place goes beyond immediate military objectives and forms part of broader policies aimed at weakening Palestinian refugee camps, altering their demographic and political character, and undermining the symbolism of the Palestinian refugee issue and the right of return.
