Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian, Ravage Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarem

Rabat – Israeli forces launched a large-scale raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem, a city in the northern occupied West Bank, resulting in the tragic death of a 21-year-old Palestinian, Ayed Samih Khaled Abu Harb, and widespread damage to the camp’s infrastructure, Al Jazeera reported earlier today.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed Ayed Abu Harb’s death, reporting that he was fatally shot in the head during the operation. A solemn funeral procession for the young man was held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, marking a somber moment for the community.

The Israeli incursion into the overcrowded Nur Shams refugee camp was executed with armored tractors and occurred from multiple directions at dawn. This prompted armed resistance from Palestinian fighters, further escalating tensions in the region.

During the operation, Israeli forces bulldozed the main road leading to the camp, which is just minutes away from Tulkarem city. Additionally, several homes, shops, and vital infrastructure were destroyed before the Israeli forces withdrew three hours later.

Nur Shams refugee camp, established in 1952, was created to provide shelter to Palestinian refugees from the Haifa area following the traumatic events of the 1948 Nakba, characterized by the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Zionist militias.

In response to the military operation, the Tulkarem Directorate of Education announced the suspension of schools for the day to ensure the safety of students and staff.

The tragic death of Ayed Abu Harb brings the total number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army since the beginning of this year to 232. Israeli military sources claim to have arrested 21 “wanted suspects” overnight on Tuesday alone, and the total number of Palestinians in various forms of Israeli detention remains in the thousands.

The Israeli army has maintained a military occupation of the West Bank, home to approximately three million Palestinians, for 56 years. Over the past two years, Palestinian armed resistance has grown in prominence, especially in the northern regions of the occupied West Bank.

In response, Israel has intensified its efforts to suppress this resistance, conducting near-daily raids on Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps, often resulting in casualties.

Notably, Nur Shams camp was the target of a previous large-scale Israeli raid on July 24, during which at least 13 Palestinians were injured, including four from live ammunition and nine from shrapnel. The Israeli forces’ actions also inflicted significant damage on the camp’s infrastructure, necessitating the allocation of a portion of the Palestinian Authority’s budget for its reconstruction.