Six days of Israeli aggression in Tulkarm: Destruction, displacement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Feb 2025 10:32

Palestinian homes have been raided, residents’ identities scrutinized, and several buildings—both residential and commercial—converted into military outposts, with Israeli snipers stationed on rooftops.

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A screen grab from a video shows Israeli occupation forces raiding a Palestinian home, forcibly displacing its residents with an Israeli journalist, and watching his TV show. (X)

Israeli occupation forces have pressed their assault on Tulkarm city and its refugee camp for the sixth consecutive day, leaving widespread devastation in their wake. Property, homes, and infrastructure have been heavily damaged, forcing dozens of families into displacement.

In Tulkarm city, Israeli military patrols have been roaming the streets, particularly in the western, southern, and eastern neighborhoods. Palestinian homes have been raided, residents’ identities scrutinized, and several buildings—both residential and commercial—converted into military outposts, with Israeli snipers stationed on rooftops.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces, based in the commercial buildings, launched surveillance drones over the vegetable market area throughout the night. Meanwhile, infantry troops stormed the western cemetery, conducting combing operations within and around it.

According to WAFA reporters, invading Israeli units have escalated their search and sweep operations, strategically setting ambushes in residential alleyways, pursuing Palestinians and their vehicles, and forcibly turning them back to their homes. Furthermore, they conducted raids on shops in the eastern neighborhood, using heavy tools to break open locks and gain access.

Hospital still under siege

The siege on the Martyr Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital and Al-Israa Specialized Hospital continues, severely disrupting the work of ambulances and medical teams. Emergency personnel are being subjected to searches, interrogations, and even detention.

In the Tulkarm refugee camp, Israeli units have enforced a tight blockade, deploying foot patrols in every alley and stationing snipers on buildings both inside and surrounding the camp.

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli soldiers are forcing Palestinians from multiple neighborhoods—Al-Nadi, Al-Shuhada, Al-Ghanem, Al-Matar, and Abu Foul—to leave their homes, heightening the climate of fear and forcible displacement.

A presenter on Israeli Channel 14 publishes a video of Israeli military forces storming a Palestinian house in Tulkarm after evacuating it and taking control of its belongings, while watching his program in the living room of the house.

مذيع في القناة 14 الإسرائيلية ينشر فيديو… pic.twitter.com/7g5K8NKPBI
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) January 31, 2025

These operations have seen the destruction of homes, including the detonation, demolition, and arson of several properties, which seems aimed at intimidating Palestinians and pressuring them under the pretext of searching for “wanted” individuals.

This ongoing Israeli escalation, which marks its sixth day, has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation. The destruction of infrastructure, including power, water, and communication lines, has left the camp without essential services. Residents are grappling with shortages in food, medical supplies, drinking water, and infant formula.

Simultaneously, efforts from the Relief Committee, formed by Tulkarm Governor Abdullah Kmeil, continue to provide support to forcibly displaced families and those enduring the Israeli aggression in the Tulkarm refugee camp.

Israeli forces continue wreaking havoc in occupied West Bank

In parallel, the Israeli occupation's military continues its aggression in the occupied West Bank, sending additional military reinforcements to Jenin in the north, while destroying civilian properties and infrastructure in the city.

This comes as Israeli occupation forces have completely emptied the Jenin camp, forcing out its residents, estimated at more than 22,000 people, amid mass detainments in the city and neighboring villages.

The Prisoners Information Office reported that the occupation forces detained released prisoner Rami Abu al-Robb, along with two Palestinian youths, Amin al-Ashab, and Ayman Alawneh, from the town of Qabatia, south of Jenin, as well as a youth from the town of Arraba, southwest of the city, according to Palestinian media outlets.

In the same context, confrontations erupted between Palestinian Resistance fighters and the occupation forces during their raid on the village of Osarin, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank. The Israeli forces also stormed the village of Madama, south of Nablus, and fired smoke bombs intensively.

The occupation forces also raided the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank, where they stormed Palestinian homes.

In the village of al-Mughair, northeast of Ramallah, three Palestinian youths were injured by gunfire from an Israeli drone. In the city of al-Bireh, Israeli forces forced locals to close the reception area for released prisoner Zakaria al-Zubaidi and raided the town of Ein Yabrud, east of Ramallah.

In the southern West Bank, the occupation forces raided the town of Idna, west of al-Khalil, and stormed the home of released prisoner Izz al-Din Awad.

Simultaneously with the ongoing Israeli assaults, the al-Quds Brigades and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Jenin announced that their Resistance fighters engaged in fierce battles and confrontations with the occupation forces, using machine guns and explosive devices, landing direct casualties.