A statement by the Israeli army confirmed that residents of 24 buildings in the Jenin refugee camp were notified about the imminent demolition of these buildings. The document indicated that residents were instructed to evacuate their property and stated that the decision responds to specific operational needs, in the context of the ongoing military escalation and increase in clashes in the West Bank. As reported by Europa Press, military commanders said that these demolitions seek to limit their scope to the necessary minimum, referring to the presence of explosive devices used by Palestinian organizations in densely populated areas.
The announcement, made on Friday, comes as part of a large-scale operation deployed in the northern area of Samaria, the biblical name Israel uses for the northern West Bank. According to the army statement cited by Europe Press, the attack responds to an increase in attacks against Israeli soldiers and settlers, and is part of the offensive that began in recent months after an escalation in violence since October 7, 2023. The army noted that there is an extensive use of explosives by groups they call “terrorists,” and stated that this represents a danger to Israeli forces deployed in the Palestinian camps.
The response of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) came a few hours after the military announcement. Hamas described the initiative as a public expression of Israel’s intention to commit war crimes, and accused the Israeli authorities of promoting a policy of ethnic cleansing with the aim of expelling residents and implementing annexation and demographic adjustment plans in the West Bank. According to Europa Press, the Palestinian group called on the United Nations, the Arab countries and the international community to intervene urgently by imposing sanctions and measures to ensure the protection of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Hamas called for a joint international response to what it described as a widespread and systematic aggression.
Tensions escalated in Jenin after two Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces during an operation in the camp. According to Europe Press, the two men were shot dead after they surrendered and handed themselves over to Israeli forces. This fact was strongly criticized by the United Nations, which classified it as a possible summary execution and denounced the act as blatant murder. The Palestinian government, for its part, condemned the events and described them as a documented war crime, considering them a violation of international standards, including humanitarian laws and agreements.
The Israeli army justified the demolitions and the intensification of its operations by pointing to the increasing activity of Palestinian militants in the camps, including the use of explosive devices, which it said endangered its forces. According to the military authorities, the decision to provide advance notice aims to facilitate the evacuation of personal items and reduce collateral damage. The memorandum highlighted that alternatives were considered before implementing the orders.
On the part of Hamas authorities, these measures were interpreted as part of a broader strategy aimed at imposing permanent population displacement and, as they warned, changing the demographic profile of key areas in the West Bank. According to Europe Press, the group confirmed that the current measures are consistent with an ongoing pattern of attacks aimed at expelling the Palestinian population and strengthening Israeli hegemony. Furthermore, Hamas urged the international community to implement “deterrent” sanctions and take urgent action to protect the civilian population.
The same Hamas statement warned that the consequences of demolitions and military operations exacerbate displacement and increase risks for civilians, while condemning the systematic campaign of extermination against Palestinians under occupation. Europe Press also recorded Hamas’s call to all relevant international bodies to intervene and ensure the security of residents in conflict areas.
Recent figures reported by the United Nations give context to the climate of intensifying violence in the West Bank. As Europe Press has detailed, since October 7, 2023, more than a thousand Palestinians have been killed in the area, either in incidents carried out by the army or Israeli settlers. These numbers, according to the United Nations, reinforce a critical period, because in the nine months before October 7, the West Bank was already seeing the highest level of Palestinian deaths since the second intifada, which occurred two decades ago.
As a result of this situation, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has repeatedly expressed concern about incidents that may constitute extrajudicial executions and violations of international human rights standards. Europe Press recorded that UN officials stressed that the recent mass killings and demolitions require a firm international response to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
As the Israeli operation in Jenin progresses, demands are increasing from various fronts to ensure the protection of civilians and to avoid a recurrence of events similar to those that occurred with the killing of the two Palestinians after their surrender. The atmosphere of tension and uncertainty remains high between the Palestinian residents of the camp and the international organizations monitoring the area.