The United Nations Human Rights Office released a report warning that Israel’s Operation Iron Wall offensive in the West Bank caused widespread destruction and the large-scale displacement of over 33,000 Palestinians, raising serious concerns of forcible transfer and potential crimes against humanity. According to the UN report, military and police operations in the Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem refugee camps destroyed hundreds of homes, damaged critical infrastructure, and cut off water and electricity.
Scale of Destruction in West Bank Refugee Camps
By October 2025, the offensive left substantial portions of northern West Bank refugee camps completely uninhabitable. According to UN findings, 52 per cent of structures in the Jenin refugee camp, 48 per cent in Nur Shams and 36 per cent in Tulkarem were destroyed or damaged. The report states that Israeli forces used airstrikes, armored bulldozers, and controlled detonations to clear areas in the absence of imperative military necessity.
Residents reported that forces went door to door ordering them to leave. Some displaced Palestinians told the UN Human Rights Office that officers stated there would be no more refugee camps and that they should go to Jordan. The UN noted that these actions raise serious concerns regarding collective punishment and ethnic cleansing.
Key Figures on Displacement and Damage:
- Total Displaced: Over 33,000 Palestinians fled or were forced out of the targeted camps.
- Camp Destruction Rates: 52 per cent in Jenin, 48 per cent in Nur Shams and 36 per cent in Tulkarem by October 2025.
- Casualties: 102 Palestinians, including 21 children, were killed during the period covered by the report.
- Current Status: Approximately 33,362 people remain displaced as of July, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Casualties and UN Leadership Response
The reporting period recorded 102 Palestinian deaths, accounting for 46 percent of all killings by Israeli forces in the West Bank over that timeframe.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated that the conduct of the operation suggested an aim to expel as many Palestinians as possible to make way for more illegal Israeli settlements. Türk called on Israel to end its 59-year occupation of Palestinian territory and comply with the International Court of Justice’s prior rulings requiring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Military Orders and Humanitarian Access Restrictions
On February 23, 2025, Israel’s Defence Minister ordered the military to maintain a permanent presence in the Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem camps and announced that displaced residents would not be permitted to return. Humanitarian access to the camps was systematically blocked during the height of the offensive, preventing emergency medical teams and food distribution.
UNRWA confirmed that tens of thousands of individuals remain unable to return to their homes due to the ongoing military restrictions and the structural collapse of basic utilities across the affected camps.
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