UN report warns of forcible displacement in three West Bank refugee camps

What happened

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, reports that Israeli security forces forcibly displaced the entire population of three Palestinian refugee camps in the occupied West Bank—Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem—in January and February 2025. The report details that forces killed civilians, destroyed homes, damaged infrastructure, cut off utilities, and blocked humanitarian access during Israel’s Operation Iron Wall offensive.

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. OHCHR documents that the forces went door to door ordering residents to leave, with some displaced Palestinians reporting being told to relocate to Jordan and that refugee camps would no longer exist. By October 2025, significant damage was recorded: 52% of structures in Jenin, 48% in Nur Shams, and 36% in Tulkarem refugee camps were destroyed or damaged.

The displacement affected over 33,000 Palestinians and the report raises concerns of forcible transfer constituting a crime against humanity. It also cites the use of airstrikes, armoured bulldozers, and controlled detonations employed without imperative military necessity, suggesting collective punishment and ethnic cleansing as serious risks.

Known from the source

• Israeli forces displaced entire populations of Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem refugee camps in Jan-Feb 2025 as reported by OHCHR.
• Military operation involved killings, destruction of homes, infrastructure damage, and blocked humanitarian access.
• Over 33,000 Palestinians remain displaced as of July 2026 according to UNRWA.
• Structural damage percentages by camp were 52% in Jenin, 48% in Nur Shams, and 36% in Tulkarem by October 2025.
• 102 Palestinians, including 21 children, were killed during the operation period covered by the UN report.

What remains unclear

The period covered by the report saw 102 Palestinian deaths, including 21 children; nearly half of all West Bank casualties from Israeli forces over that time. Notable victims include an eight-month pregnant woman fatally shot at Nur Shams and a 10-year-old boy killed in Tulkarem. UN human rights chief Volker Türk criticized the operation’s conduct, suggesting a goal to expel Palestinians to facilitate Israeli settlements.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Exact casualty figures and identities of victims beyond those named in the UN report. Specific details on destruction methods and whether they were conducted without necessity as claimed. Verification of statements on orders given to displaced Palestinians and attribution of motivations (e.g., aims to remove camps).

Evidence note

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

Original source: UN News Middle East Gaza. Open the source.