For over five months, the Israeli military has waged a continuous campaign against the city of Tulkarm and its two refugee camps, Tulkarm and Nur Shams. Daily raids, arrests, and the widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure have pushed the population into a state of profound humanitarian crisis.

Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened. More than a thousand residential buildings, each sheltering several families, have been demolished, forcing over 25,000 Palestinians to flee with nowhere to go. Many now live in makeshift conditions, without access to aid, trapped under siege and denied even the most basic relief.

In Nur Shams camp, the destruction appears strategic. New roads are being carved into the heart of the camp, not to improve conditions, but to undermine its symbolic role as a living testament to the Palestinian refugee struggle. Residents believe this is part of a deliberate effort to reshape the camp’s identity and erase its historical significance.

A temporary freeze on demolition orders for over 100 homes has been issued by an Israeli court, delaying, but not cancelling, their destruction. Meanwhile, the violence continues. On 3 July, 61-year-old Walid Hassan Saad Bdeir was shot dead near Nur Shams camp, a stark reminder that for many Palestinians, survival itself has become an act of resistance.