Israel Bulldozes 15 Roads in Jenin Camp, Leaving 21,000 Palestinians Displaced

Watan-Israeli occupation forces have bulldozed 15 roads inside the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, at the expense of existing streets and dozens of homes that were completely destroyed. This has occurred as part of a continuous assault that has now entered its 90th day, according to the Jenin Camp Media Committee. The committee also confirmed that around 600 homes have been destroyed in the camp.

Journalist Asri Fayadh, one of the displaced residents from Jenin Camp, reported that the Israeli army has carved out 15 roads within the camp. Some of these were expansions of existing streets, widened at the expense of demolished homes, while others were entirely new. He noted that the army is currently working to prepare and pave all of these roads in the near future.

Fayadh noted that there are ongoing field operations by the Israeli army inside the camp, and that laborers have been brought in under direct military protection to begin infrastructure work. These workers are reportedly entering citizens’ homes and looting their belongings. According to him, the newly built roads serve two primary objectives: first, to allow the army free movement when storming the camp, and second, to divide the camp into isolated blocks that can be more easily controlled in future military operations. He emphasized that the road designs effectively fulfill both goals.

Destruction in Jenin Camp Aims to Erase Refugee Identity

Fayadh stressed that the occupation aims to erase the identity of the refugee camp as a symbol of asylum and the right of return, instead turning it into just another neighborhood of Jenin city. He said, “The destruction and roadbuilding have crushed the dreams and memories of the camp’s residents.”

He explained that around 800 homes in the Jenin camp are now uninhabitable and in need of demolition, having been partially or nearly completely destroyed. Even if the Israeli army withdraws, returning to the camp would require full-scale rehabilitation and a complete urban restructuring, especially due to the architectural chaos caused by the destruction and road projects. According to the Jenin Camp Media Committee, around 600 homes were destroyed, and nearly 3,000 housing units have been rendered uninhabitable.

Jenin’s Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Mass Displacement and Destruction

The committee added that “this situation has severely worsened the economic conditions, as thousands of displaced people—forced from the camp by the occupation—have lost their livelihoods, significantly increasing poverty levels in the Jenin community and compounding the escalating humanitarian crisis in the area.”

The number of displaced persons from the camp has reached approximately 21,000, scattered across Jenin Governorate, including 6,000 in Jenin city itself, 4,181 in the town of Burqin, and 32,000 in housing units near the Arab American University.

The Israeli assault on Jenin city and refugee camp has led to the killing of 38 Palestinians. Since the start of “Operation Iron Wall” on January 21, which later expanded to other cities and camps, the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank has reached around 90, with dozens more wounded and hundreds arrested. Many homes have been demolished, and exact statistics are not yet available.