Ramallah: A terrifying report from the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq has revealed that a broad Israeli military operation across northern governorates of the occupied West Bank has killed 91 Palestinians and displaced thousands more over the past 120 days. The operation, described as extensive and brutal, has targeted refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas, and Nablus between January 21 and May 16, 2025.
According to Al-Haq, the Israeli military campaign has included the deployment of snipers, aerial strikes using reconnaissance drones and Apache helicopters, and heavy military equipment such as D9 and D10 bulldozers, tanks, and Eitan armored personnel carriers. These tactics have not only caused mass casualties but have also led to the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The Jenin refugee camp has borne the brunt of the offensive, with 40 Palestinians killed, including seven children and one woman. At least 430 residential and public structures have been destroyed in Jenin alone, resulting in the forced displacement of approximately 16,600 residents. The report details how the continuous siege, coupled with intense shelling and bulldozing, has rendered much of the camp uninhabitable and cut off critical access to food, water, and medical supplies.
In other targeted areas—Tulkarem, Tubas, and Nablus—the destruction has been similarly extensive. Al-Haq emphasizes that the Israeli military has not limited its actions to combat operations but has systematically dismantled homes, schools, roads, and essential infrastructure, leaving a humanitarian disaster in its wake. The death toll includes 13 children and three women, underscoring the high civilian cost of the operation.
The Israeli government claims its campaign aims to root out militant cells and neutralize security threats. However, rights groups argue that the disproportionate use of force and the targeting of refugee camps amount to collective punishment and potential violations of international law. International observers and humanitarian agencies have voiced alarm over the scale of the devastation and the enduring impact on civilian life.
The background to this operation is tied to rising tensions in the West Bank, where Israeli settlement expansion, frequent military raids, and escalating confrontations have turned many areas into flashpoints. Jenin, in particular, has been a focal point of resistance and, consequently, of intensified Israeli military focus.
