Mass Displacement in West Bank as Israeli Operations Intensify

In the northern West Bank, Palestinian civilians are leaving their homes en masse in recent weeks, fleeing Israeli military operations. This large-scale displacement is the greatest since the 1967 Mideast war.

Following Israel’s January 21 announcement of wide-ranging operations against West Bank militants, just two days after a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, Israeli forces descended on Jenin. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have conducted numerous raids on the city. However, this round saw a more intense push into neighboring towns like Tulkarem, Far’a, and Nur Shams, stirring painful memories of the 1948 Nakba, when 700,000 Palestinians were displaced.

“This is our nakba,” declared 53-year-old Abed Sabagh, who fled Nur Shams camp with his seven children on February 9 as explosions rocked the area. Sabagh was born in Nur Shams to parents who had escaped the 1948 conflict.

Tactics Echo Gaza

Humanitarian groups have not witnessed such significant displacement in the West Bank since the 1967 Mideast war, when Israel captured the territory and displaced another 300,000 Palestinians. With over 40,100 people fleeing their homes in the recent operation, according to the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, the situation is dire.

Experts observe that Israel’s tactics in the West Bank resemble those used in Gaza. Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for mass relocation of Palestinians from Gaza has emboldened Israel’s far-right to push for West Bank annexation.

“The idea of ‘cleansing’ the land of Palestinians is more popular than ever before,” states Yagil Levy, a professor at Israel’s Open University, head of the Institute for the Study of Civil-Military Relations. Israeli forces claim they secure safe passage for those choosing to leave voluntarily.

Forced Evacuations

Dozens of displaced Palestinians reported they were ordered to evacuate by Israeli security forces. In Nur Shams camp, soldiers reportedly used mosque megaphones to issue evacuation orders. Ayat Abdullah, 30, recalls being given only seven minutes to leave her home with her children amidst intense fighting.

“I was sobbing, asking them, ‘Why do you want me to leave my house?’ My baby is upstairs, just let me get my baby please,’” Abdullah remembered. Fearing snipers, Abdullah trudged ten kilometers under the cover of night to reach a shelter.

Community Solidarity

Communities are showing remarkable resilience in hosting displaced Palestinians. In Anabta, volunteers transformed mosques and government buildings into makeshift shelters, providing food and comforting services.

“This is our duty in the current security situation,” noted Thabet A’mar, Anabta’s mayor. However, he emphasized the temporary nature of this hospitality.

Refusing to Flee

While many Palestinians heed orders to leave, others defy them, choosing to weather the storm. In Far’a refugee camp, Ahmad Sobuh and his family initially stayed despite warnings of imminent explosions. When suspicion was placed on Sobuh’s home, they fled as a precaution.

“They are doing everything they can to push us out,” Sobuh commented, highlighting the destruction of hundreds of homes across the camps by the Israeli army.

Returning to Ruins

Doha Abu Dgheish returned to her family’s Far’a home only to find it in shambles. Amidst the aftermath, Israeli forces had vandalized their residence, destroying food supplies and defacing sacred texts.

“It’s like they want us to feel that we’re never safe,” Abu Dgheish explained. “That we have no control.”

The Israeli army maintains that any incidents of damage to civilian property are violations of their rules, which are thoroughly investigated.