Escalating Tensions: Israel Expels Residents from West Bank Camps Amid Military Operations**

The Israeli military has declared three refugee camps in the West Bank empty as part of a intensified operation resulting in the forced displacement of 40,000 Palestinians, drawing condemnation from the Palestinian Authority and the UN.**

The Israeli military has intensified its operations in the northern West Bank, leading to the expulsion of residents from three significant refugee camps, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams. This heightened military action commenced on January 21 and has now resulted in those camps being declared "empty," according to a statement from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. He confirmed plans for Israeli military occupation over the next year.

In a rare move since 2002, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have deployed a tank division around Jenin, a strategy intended to bolster their presence in the region. This military operation has been sharply criticized by Palestinian authorities, with Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas, labeling it a “dangerous Israeli escalation” that threatens to destabilize the area further.

Reports from the United Nations indicate that the military campaign has caused the "forced displacement" of approximately 40,000 Palestinians from the designated camps. Katz reiterated the Israeli military's objectives, stating, "I have instructed [troops] to prepare for a prolonged presence in the cleared camps for the coming year and to prevent the return of residents and the resurgence of terrorism." Concerns have also emerged regarding the disruption of vital services, with UN officials highlighting significant damage to water and sanitation infrastructure affecting tens of thousands.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Tulkarm camp recently, commanding the army to intensify operational activities in response to perceived terror threats, particularly following recent explosions of three buses in Tel Aviv believed to be linked to terrorist activities. Netanyahu emphasized the need to dismantle terrorist strongholds, declaring, “We are entering terrorist strongholds, flattening entire streets that terrorists use.”

This military operation develops against the backdrop of Israel's long-standing occupation of the West Bank since the 1967 Six Day War, during which around 160 settlements have been established, housing approximately 700,000 Jewish inhabitants—settlements deemed illegal under international law, a status Israel contests. As forces mobilize further in the West Bank, the implications for security and humanitarian conditions remain dire.