More than 30,000 Palestinians have been forced to leave refugee camps in Tulkarm, Jenin and Nur Shams in the West Bank, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The organisation said that Israeli military forces had completely dispersed the camps as part of an ongoing operation that Israel describes as anti-terrorist. TASS news agency reported this, citing UNRWA statements and Palestinian sources.

According to UNRWA, the displaced were mainly women and children, approximately 32,000 people in total. The agency noted that most of the displaced are now dependent on makeshift shelters, including canvas shelters and makeshift tents. Some of them are reportedly surviving on the streets of nearby towns.

The Israeli army announced the launch of the operation on 26 November. According to the press service, the intervention is intended to prevent the activities of militant groups and to curb the spread of terrorism in the northern part of the West Bank. The specific course of the operation and its duration were not detailed, but the army said it was proceeding in accordance with national security priorities.

The refugee camps that were dispersed were among the largest in the region, according to UN figures. They have functioned for decades as temporary and long-term refuges for Palestinians displaced by previous wars. The evacuation of these sites thus represents one of the largest civilian population movements in the West Bank in recent times.

UNRWA said the current situation requires urgent humanitarian support. Conditions for residents without access to water, food or medical care are critical, the agency said. Rescue and distribution teams are on the ground, but the scale of aid available is insufficient for the tens of thousands of people who have left the camps in a short space of time.

Israel has not yet confirmed whether the residents will be allowed to return, nor has it indicated whether the operation is time-limited. The situation remains tense and developments on the ground are being monitored by regional and international organisations.

UNRWA expects further figures on the number of displaced in the coming days. The situation in the West Bank is dynamic and the various agencies are continuously updating information on the needs of the civilian population.

gnews.cz - GH