Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity after forcibly expelling about 32,000 Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps earlier this year. The group said residents of Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams were removed during “Operation Iron Wall,” and none have been allowed to return since the January–February raids.
In its 105-page report, HRW documented widespread demolitions, reporting that more than 850 structures were destroyed or heavily damaged, while a UN assessment estimated 1,460 buildings. It stated that soldiers stormed homes, used drones with loudspeakers to order evacuations and offered no shelter or assistance, forcing families to seek refuge in mosques, schools and relatives’ houses.
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Researchers said families fled without belongings and continued to face severe shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies, deepening their hardships. Witnesses described bulldozers flattening homes as residents escaped, while Israeli forces insisted the demolitions were necessary to prevent militants from using the infrastructure, without confirming when displaced families might return.
HRW said the mass expulsions, carried out while world attention centred on Gaza, fit into broader patterns of apartheid and persecution. The group urged international governments to impose sanctions on Israeli officials, suspend arms sales, block settlement goods and enforce International Criminal Court warrants to prevent further abuses.
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Meanwhile, violence across the West Bank has sharply escalated since October 2023, with nearly 1,000 Palestinians killed, expanded detentions and rising settler attacks. UN data shows at least 264 settler assaults in October alone, marking the highest monthly total since tracking began in 2006, as Israeli settlements continue expanding despite widespread global opposition.