Residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank have witnessed widespread demolition of homes by the Israeli military, part of a broader campaign that has uprooted tens of thousands of Palestinians since early 2025. Bulldozers and excavators have torn down housing structures, leaving families displaced and struggling to find shelter.
The demolitions are occurring amid ongoing military operations referred to by Israel as efforts to root out armed groups but human rights organisations and displaced residents describe them as contributing to one of the largest displacements in the West Bank in decades. Satellite imagery and field reports indicate hundreds of structures across Nur Shams, Tulkarem and Jenin have been destroyed or badly damaged.
Palestinian families watching their homes being flattened have lamented the loss of property and memories while stressing that repeated displacement often spanning generations deepens uncertainty about their future. Many report overcrowding with relatives, reliance on informal shelter and a lack of resources, as rights groups warn that prolonged occupation practices risk entrenching a humanitarian crisis.
Israeli authorities maintain that such demolitions are part of security measures and state they are aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure in densely populated civilian areas, even as international and rights bodies call for greater protection of civilians and adherence to international law.
