TULKAREM, (PIC)
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detonated a residential building on Friday inside Tulkarem refugee camp, located east of the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing a powerful explosion that echoed across the city and its surrounding areas, as thick columns of smoke rose from the site of the blast inside the camp.
They said the explosion took place in the al-Balawneh neighborhood and targeted a residential building, while the extent of the damage remains unclear due to the ongoing siege imposed on the camp and restrictions preventing access to the area.
On January 21, 2025, IOF launched a military operation in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, which remains ongoing. The operation was later expanded on January 27 to include Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps.
Israeli forces continue to prevent residents from returning to their homes, from which they have been forcibly displaced. At the same time, several homes have been seized and converted into military outposts and sniper positions, with live fire directed at anyone attempting to enter the camp.
IOF and Israeli settlers have intensified their attacks across the West Bank, carrying out raids on cities, refugee camps, and towns, alongside large-scale arrest campaigns. Detainees are often subjected to interrogation before many are later released.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks in the West Bank have resulted in the martyrdom of more than 1,147 Palestinians, the injury of around 11,750 others, and the arrest of approximately 22,000 people.
