Israeli forces have demolished around one-third of the Jenin Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank, declaring that displaced residents will not be allowed to return. Former Jenin Mayor Nidal Al-Obeidi described the assault as “a deliberate attempt to erase the camp from the map,” warning that the military has threatened to destroy any new structures built in the affected areas to impose a new reality on the ground.

The destruction has left thousands without homes or basic services, as bulldozers, armoured vehicles, and drones dismantled water, electricity, and sewage networks. Dozens of houses were razed, creating what Al-Obeidi called “an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” for the camp’s population of 19,000, many of whom have lived there for generations.

Officials say the assault is part of a broader strategy to dismantle Palestinian refugee camps across the West Bank, which are both historical symbols of the Nakba and enduring testaments to Palestinian resilience. Al-Obeidi emphasised that such attempts to erase these communities will fail, as their memory and significance remain deeply rooted in the Palestinian collective consciousness.