Tulkarm: Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday obstructed Palestinian residents from entering Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm, as families attempted to retrieve belongings from homes threatened with demolition under a new Israeli plan targeting 25 residential buildings in the camp.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Israeli soldiers deliberately restricted residents' access to their homes by checking identification documents, briefly detaining several people, and subjecting others to on-site questioning and searches. Residents were prevented from entering the camp under the pretext of lacking prior coordination, creating an atmosphere of tension.
During limited hours granted for entry, families raced against time to evacuate their belongings, assisted by volunteers from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Meanwhile, Israeli forces sealed off the area, deployed heavily at the camp's entrances and within its alleys, and converted nearby homes into military posts, pursuing and intimidating residents.
The Israeli army announced late Tuesday that families with permits would be allowed entry to remove their possessions during specific periods through designated entry points from the al-Maslakh and al-Manshiya neighborhoods, and a third period through the southern entrance.
On Sunday evening, Israeli forces issued a military order to demolish 25 residential buildings in Nour Shams camp on Thursday morning, as residents describe a systematic policy targeting Palestinian presence and displacing the population.
This measure adds to the ongoing pressure on camp residents, facing repeated evacuation orders since the Israeli assault began 312 days ago. Families remain in distress amid threats of losing homes and property, as the camp and surroundings stay under siege. The area saw widespread demolitions of residential buildings last summer.
According to statistics from the Nour Shams Camp Popular Services Committee, over 11,500 residents have been displaced, with more than 750 buildings destroyed or bulldozed, dividing the camp into small blocks. Over 1,600 buildings sustained damage, more than 80 structures were set on fire, around 230 vehicles were damaged, and 260 commercial establishments were affected. Public institutions, including mosques, kindergartens, a rehabilitation center, a youth social center, and the UNRWA office, were also damaged or destroyed.
