Displaced Palestinians in West Bank camps struggle amid prolonged displacement and destroyed homes

What happened

Al Jazeera Gaza reports that more than 33,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from the Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem refugee camps in the northern West Bank during Israeli military operations in early 2025, the largest forced displacement in the area since 1967. These camps, long-standing homes for multiple generations of refugees, have seen significant destruction, with UN satellite imagery confirming 20 percent of buildings destroyed and 28 percent damaged.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Displaced families like that of Hakim Mar’i face acute hardship. Mar’i, with a debilitating leg injury and untreated medical conditions, is unable to work or afford medication. His family, now living in cramped, temporary apartments, struggles with mounting debts and the threat of eviction. The family home they once built floor by floor was razed by the Israeli military to make way for new infrastructure, deepening the sense of loss and dislocation.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, highlights that 85 percent of those displaced lack stable income, while over 80 percent are now paying rent—expenses previously unfamiliar to camp residents. Closed military zone orders are renewed bi-monthly, barring return to their homes indefinitely. UNRWA officials have labeled the displacement as 'forced' and call for the camps to be rebuilt, noting fears that these operations may aim to alter the geographic reality of Palestinian refugee presence.

Known from the source

• Over 33,000 Palestinians were displaced from Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem camps in early 2025.
• UN satellite imagery shows 20% of buildings destroyed and 28% damaged in these camps.
• Displaced residents face new rental costs and loss of regular income.
• The Israeli military declared the camps closed military zones renewed every two months.
• The original homes and camp structures have been demolished or damaged extensively.

What remains unclear

Unlike post-Second Intifada reconstruction efforts, there is currently no clear plan for return or rebuilding, extending the displacement well beyond initial expectations. UNRWA’s director of West Bank affairs, Roland Friedrich, underscored the unprecedented scale of destruction and prolonged displacement that now leaves families struggling to survive amid uncertainty and worsening poverty.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verify current status and control of the camps and military zone orders. Confirm exact casualty figures and injury reports related to the displacement events. Check for independent confirmation of the military rationale and whether any return plans exist.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Al Jazeera Gaza. Open the source.