Day 128 in Jenin: IOF strike 12-year-old with rubber bullets amid raid
Israeli occupation forces intensify their raids on Jenin, injuring civilians, arresting employees, and destroying key infrastructure in the refugee camp amid ongoing military aggression.
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Israeli occupation soldiers take position during a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, on May 27, 2025. (AP)
A Palestinian was injured on Tuesday after Israeli occupation forces fired a tear gas canister at him, while a 12-year-old boy was struck by rubber bullets during the Israeli aggression on central Jenin.
The confrontations erupted following a raid by Israeli forces on money exchange shops near the Cinema Roundabout and Abu Bakr Street in the heart of the city's market district.
The so-called "Border Guard Police" launched a campaign targeting money exchange businesses and their owners under the pretext of cracking down on funds linked to "terrorism".
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the assault is expected to expand across the West Bank, focusing on the confiscation of assets, arresting business owners, and shutting down targeted stores.
Occupation forces also fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters, causing several journalists to suffer from suffocation. Rubber bullets were used against civilians in the area as snipers were deployed on rooftops, and large numbers of occupation soldiers stormed shopping malls.
The raid, which lasted over seven hours, disrupted the movement of residents, forced the closure of businesses, government offices, and schools.
The raids extended to the Gulf Exchange offices on Haifa Street and Abu Bakr Street, as well as the Fakhr al-Din Exchange. Additionally, Israeli occupation forces seized large sums of money, confiscated the contents of the shops, and arrested several employees.
In the nearby town of Araba, occupation forces stormed the roundabout and a local gas station, raided another Gulf Exchange office, arrested an employee, and shut down the location after seizing all contents. Leaflets were later found posted on its walls.
Widespread destruction in Jenin Refugee Camp
The aggression against Jenin and its refugee camp has now entered its 128th consecutive day. The IOF continues to carry out bulldozing and demolition assaults aimed at altering the camp's structure, while access to the camp remains blocked, and surrounding villages continue to experience near-daily military raids.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, nearly 1,000 citizens from Jenin and Tulkarm have been arrested in the past four months, including numerous liberated prisoners. Since the beginning of the war in the West Bank's refugee camps, at least 40 Palestinians have been martyred, and over 200 others injured.
Jenin Mayor Muhammad Jarrar reported that approximately 600 homes in the camp have been completely destroyed, while thousands of others have sustained partial damage. Around 22,000 residents have been forcibly displaced due to the destruction, with estimated damages totaling over $300 million. Nearly 4,000 workers have lost their jobs as a result of the ongoing military assault.
Israeli occupation forces continue to send reinforcements to Jenin refugee camp and its surrounding neighborhoods. Infantry units are stationed throughout the area, while soldiers fire live ammunition extensively inside the camp, and entry and exit points remain sealed off, creating a humanitarian and economic stranglehold on the city.
Emergency reconstruction efforts underway
Despite the destruction, municipal teams have launched emergency repair efforts to restore basic services and rehabilitate damaged infrastructure. Mayor Jarrar noted that several key streets, including Nazareth Street and Al-Bayader Street, are being resurfaced.
Critical water and sewage networks, especially in the eastern neighborhood, are under repair, with approximately 50% of the sewage system already being addressed at a cost of up to 17 million shekels.
Access roads to Ibn Sina Hospital are also being repaired to facilitate medical access. These efforts are part of a broader emergency plan aimed at restoring the city's economic cycle and ensuring citizens’ mobility.