Israeli West Bank offensives displace thousands: officials
Israeli West Bank offensives displace thousands: officials/node/2589026/middle-east
Israeli West Bank offensives displace thousands: officials
Israeli army soldiers walk during a military operation in the Jenin camp for Palestinian refugees in the north of the occupied West Bank on Feb. 3, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 04 February 2025
AFP
Israeli West Bank offensives displace thousands: officials
Jonathan Fowler, UNRWA spokesman, said an estimated 2,450 to 3,000 families have been displaced from the Tulkarem refugee camp
Faisal Salama, head of the camp’s popular committee, estimated that 80 percent of the camp’s 15,000 residents have been displaced
Updated 04 February 2025
AFP
RAMALLAH: Israeli military offensives in two West Bank refugee camps have displaced nearly 5,500 Palestinian families since December, local and UN officials said Tuesday, amid escalating violence in the occupied territory.
The Israeli military describes its ongoing operations as “counterterrorism” efforts aimed at rooting out Palestinian militancy.
Jonathan Fowler, spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), said an estimated 2,450 to 3,000 families have been displaced from the Tulkarem refugee camp.
Faisal Salama, head of the camp’s popular committee, estimated that 80 percent of the camp’s 15,000 residents have been displaced.
Both Salama and Fowler said that obtaining precise figures is challenging because of the security situation within the camp and its fluctuating population.
“The displaced people from the camp are scattered in the suburbs and in the city of Tulkarem itself,” Salama told AFP.
He said that six people had been killed and dozens wounded since the offensive began on January 25.
“The bombing of residential homes in the camp continues, along with destruction and bulldozing of everything.”
Salama also reported that the violence has severely restricted the movement of goods into the camp.
“There is a shortage of water, no electricity, no communication and a lack of essential supplies such as milk for children, diapers, and medicine,” he added.
Displacement has also been severe in Jenin, also in the northern West Bank, where the military launched an intensive assault it dubbed “Iron Wall” on January 21.
Fowler reported that 3,000 families — around 15,000 people — have fled Jenin refugee camp since December, initially when Palestinian security forces staged their own operation against militants and then later because of the Israeli offensive.
Displacement has surged in recent days after the military assault inflicted further destruction on the camp.
On Sunday, Israeli media and the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces had demolished 20 buildings in a single coordinated detonation in the camp.
Both the Tulkarem and Jenin refugee camps are known strongholds of Palestinian militancy.
A gunman attacked an Israeli military checkpoint in the northern West Bank at Tayasir on Tuesday, fatally wounding two soldiers before troops shot him dead, the military said.
The Palestinian health ministry reported on Tuesday that 70 people had been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank this year, 38 of them in Jenin.
Israel’s military says its forces had killed “approximately 55 terrorists” across the West Bank in January, without specifying the locations.
Its West Bank operations intensified following a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip on January 19.
The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 884 Palestinians, including many militants, in the West Bank since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023.
Over the same period, at least 32 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids in the territory, official Israeli figures show.
Israeli minister vows ‘return’ to evacuated West Bank settlement
Updated 10 sec ago
AFP
SANUR, Palestinian Territories: An Israeli minister has announced plans to rebuild Sa-Nur, a settlement in the occupied West Bank that was evacuated two decades ago, as the far right spearheads a major settlement expansion push.
Sa-Nur’s settlers were evicted in 2005 as part of Israel’s so-called disengagement policy that also saw the country withdraw troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.
Many in the Israeli settler movement have since called to return to Sa-Nur and other evacuated settlements in the northern West Bank.
During a visit to the area on Thursday, accompanied by families who claim they are preparing to move there, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that “we are correcting the mistake of the expulsion” in 2005.
“Even back then, we knew that ... we would one day return to all the places we were driven out of,” said the far-right minister who lives in a settlement. “That applies to Gaza, and it’s even more true here.”
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority issued a strong condemnation for Thursday’s visit, which it regards as part of Israel’s “plans to entrench the gradual annexation of the West Bank, posing a direct threat to the possibility of implementing the two-state solution.”
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the push “to revive settlements that were evacuated 20 years ago” would lead to further confiscation of Palestinian lands. Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, are illegal under international law and seen by the international community as a major obstacle to lasting peace, undermining the territorial integrity of any future Palestinian state.
In May, Israel announced the creation of 22 settlements, including Sa-Nur and Homesh — two of the four northern West Bank settlements that were evacuated in 2005.
Israeli NGO Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity in the West Bank, said some of the 22 settlements the government announced as new had in fact already existed on the ground.
Some are neighborhoods that were upgraded to independent settlements, and others are unrecognized outposts given formal status under Israeli law, according to Peace New.
The West Bank is home to some three million Palestinians as well as about 500,000 Israeli settlers.
Settlement expansion in the West Bank has continued under all Israeli governments since 1967, but it has intensified significantly under the current government alongside the displacement of Palestinian farming communities, particularly since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.
From aboard a Jordanian Air Force jet dropping aid over Gaza, Arab News witnesses devastation firsthand
Our reporter flew aboard a Jordanian C-130 aircraft as it dropped food and medical supplies over Gaza amid the enclave’s unfolding famine
Exclusive report sheds light on the logistical, political, and moral challenges of delivering lifesaving aid to Palestinians under siege
Updated 11 min 56 sec ago
Sherouk Zakaria
AMMAN: Gaza’s beachfront was once a lifeline for Palestinians — a place where cafes bustled, fishermen hauled in their catch, and people living under a 17-year siege could cling to a fragile sense of normalcy.
Today, the view from high overhead aboard a Royal Jordanian Air Force flight dropping aid onto the war-ravaged enclave shows that little of this once-vibrant seaside community now remains.
Nearly two years of intense Israeli bombardment have left Gaza in ruins. Many blocks are filled with crumbling buildings and piles of ash-gray rubble, while other neighborhoods have been erased entirely, leaving behind empty voids.
Along the shoreline, tents are now scattered where homes once stood, sheltering families displaced by the fighting.
A view of the massive tent colony housing displaced people in the Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, the southern Gaza Strip, on August 7, 2025. (AFP)
Arab News joined one of the near-daily humanitarian flights, which the Jordanian Armed Forces resumed on July 27 in coordination with several countries, to drop aid over Gaza in response to reports of rising starvation.
From the air, people and cars could be seen moving through the rubble-strewn streets below — a stark glimpse of how Palestinians continue to navigate daily life amid devastation with little to no access to food, water, shelter, or medicine.
Despite the routine humanitarian missions, crew members say comprehending the view from above never gets any easier.
“It’s heartbreaking,” one crew member told Arab News as he helped load the C-130 military aircraft set to depart from King Abdullah II Air Base near Zarqa. “It hits us the same way every day. Seeing the destruction in real life is nothing like watching it on TV, especially when you see the people on the ground.”
Jordanian air force personnel preparing to load a C-130 aircraft with humanitarian supplies. (AN photo by Sherbel Dessi)
Flying over Gaza after about nine months of suspended operations showed just how much the destruction has worsened since the first round of airdrops last year, he said.
On Wednesday, seven aircraft — two from Jordan, two from Germany, and one each from the UAE, France, and Belgium — took off from the air base in Amman, dropping 54 tons of medical supplies, food, and baby formula over Gaza from an altitude of about 2,500 feet.
Humanitarian organizations say airdrops offer only a tiny fraction of what is needed to sustain the 2.2 million people in Gaza, where the UN warned of an “unfolding famine.”
The situation in Gaza deteriorated after Israel blocked all aid shipments for two and a half months following the collapse of a six-week ceasefire in March. Since it eased the blockade in late May, Israel has allowed in a trickle of UN aid trucks — about 70 a day on average, according to official Israeli figures.
That is far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day that UN agencies say are needed. The aid, which was dropped on Wednesday, is equivalent to less than three.
While military officials confirmed that the aid provided through airdrops is insufficient, they believe what they are doing is making a difference.
“We are proud that we are able to support with whatever we can. It’s our humanitarian duty,” one crew member told Arab News.
A ground operations supervisor said Jordan’s role in leading international aid efforts fills him with pride.
“Our teams work around the clock, and we are proud of the tremendous effort being made on the ground,” he told Arab News. “We feel like we are doing something, regardless how minimal, to help people living in heartbreaking conditions.”
Since the airdrops resumed, 379 tons of aid have been delivered, according to military data. So far, the Jordanian Armed Forces has carried out 142 missions, in addition to 299 joint airdrops conducted in coordination with Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.
Israel began allowing airdrops in response to growing international pressure over the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza. The measures include daily 10-hour pauses in fighting across three densely populated areas — Deir Al-Balah, Gaza City, and Al-Mawasi — along with the opening of limited humanitarian corridors to allow UN aid convoys into the strip.
Despite these efforts, people in Gaza are continuing to succumb to starvation. According to local authorities, 188 Palestinians, including 94 children, have died from hunger since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza, instead blaming any shortages on Hamas for allegedly stealing aid or on the UN for distribution failures. On July 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X: “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza. There is no starvation in Gaza.”
The hunger crisis is worsened by the deadly conditions surrounding aid distribution through four centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US and Israeli-backed logistics startup.
Since their establishment in May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid, according to UN estimates. The foundation has repeatedly denied these accusations.
Israel is now facing renewed pressure to fully reopen land crossings and allow uninterrupted aid convoys to enter, as humanitarian groups stress that airdrops, while better than nothing, are no substitute for coordinated, large-scale deliveries by land.
With no precision or coordination, airdrops tend to end up in the hands of whoever reaches them first rather than the most needy. Aid groups say airdrops can also pose a threat to life, landing on civilians or causing stampedes as desperate people rush to collect relief.
However, a military official told Arab News the airdrops have the added advantage of reaching areas that are now inaccessible by road.
“Some neighborhoods are flattened to the ground. The road infrastructure in Gaza is destroyed. Therefore, we can reach areas that lorries cannot,” the official said.
Flights are carried out with international missions to drop the aid at designated points across northern, central, and southern Gaza.
On the Jordanian flight, each pallet was packed, sealed, and divided into half-ton units. Each box was packed with a mix of aid — including food, medicine, and baby formula — to meet the diverse needs of the people it would reach.
Combo image showing tons of humanitarian goods being loaded onto a Royal Jordanian Air Force cargo plane on Aug. 7, 2025, to be air dropped in Gaza. (AN photos by Sherbel Dessi)
Asked how long the air drops are likely to continue, a senior army official told Arab News: “As long as we have the capability.”
After takeoff at 11 a.m., the air force crew shouted instructions over the deafening roar of the C-130 aircraft, coordinating with the pilot and with each other through headphones.
At noon, Gaza’s landscape came into view along the wide stretch of shoreline. The journalists on board, who have long been barred from entering Gaza to report from the ground, were instructed not to photograph the devastation below.
Ten minutes later, the plane descended to a lower altitude. The rear doors opened to reveal the vast, ravaged landscape. A countdown began before eight pallets, each weighing a ton, were released in two batches, parachuting into the unknown over Gaza.
“This is for you, Gaza. May God help you,” one crew member murmured, embracing his colleague as the aid disappeared from view.
Then the doors closed. The aircraft turned back toward Amman, leaving behind only questions. Who would reach the aid first? Who would carry a box of food or medicine home to their family? Who would be left to wait for the next drop? Would another drop arrive?
Jordan and UK reaffirm strong ties during talks between politicians in Amman
Jordanian MP Dina Basheer hails historic and strategic relationship between the two countries, stresses importance of continued collaboration
British delegates commend Jordan for its contributions to regional stability, hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees, and enduring humanitarian leadership
Updated 07 August 2025
Arab News
AMMAN: Jordan and the UK reiterated their shared commitment to deeper cooperation in a range of sectors, as politicians from the two countries met in Amman on Thursday to discuss pressing regional and international issues.
During a meeting with a visiting British delegation from the Coalition for Global Prosperity’s Future Leaders Programme, MP Dina Basheer, chairperson of Jordan’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, described the relationship between the nations as historic and strategic, and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The discussions focused in particular on regional developments, during which Basheer reaffirmed Jordan’s firm support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the only path to long-term stability in the Middle East.
She called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, and greater international efforts to ease the humanitarian suffering of civilians caught up in the conflict in the territory.
Basheer also highlighted the role King Abdullah of Jordan has played as an advocate for peace through his diplomatic engagement at both the regional and global levels. She stressed the importance of Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem as a cornerstone of Jordan’s position on the future of the city. She also cited the continuing delivery of humanitarian assistance from Jordan to Gaza by land and air as a key element of its regional activities.
The British delegates praised Jordan’s contributions to regional stability and commended the nation for hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees, despite ongoing domestic economic pressures, and for its its enduring humanitarian leadership. They also expressed their appreciation for the strength of its ties with the UK.
The Coalition for Global Prosperity’s Future Leaders Programme is an initiative that aims to help prospective parliamentary candidates in the UK develop the knowledge and connections they need to effectively address foreign policy issues.
The Israeli strike on Masnaa Road resulted in a preliminary toll of five deaths
Updated 07 August 2025
AFP
BEIRUT: Lebanon said an Israeli strike on the country’s east on Thursday killed at least five people, in the latest attack despite a November ceasefire in a war with militant group Hezbollah.
“The Israeli strike on Masnaa Road resulted in a preliminary toll of five deaths and ten injuries,” the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement. The state-run National News Agency reported that the strike hit a vehicle in the area, near a border crossing with Syria.
The reported strike came as Lebanon’s government was discussing Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Lebanon cabinet meets again on Hezbollah disarmament
Morcos said the cabinet endorsed the introduction of the US text without discussing provisions relating to specific timelines
The introduction endorsed in Thursday’s meeting lists 11 “objectives” including “ensuring the sustainability” of a November ceasefire agreement with Israel
Updated 07 August 2025
AFP
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s cabinet on Thursday held a second meeting within days to discuss the thorny task of disarming Hezbollah, a day after the Iran-backed group rejected the government’s decision to take away its weapons.
The more than four-hour meeting tackled a US proposal that includes a timetable for Hezbollah’s disarmament, with Washington pressing Lebanon to take action on the matter.
Information Minister Paul Morcos said the cabinet endorsed the introduction of the US text without discussing provisions relating to specific timelines. The government on Tuesday said disarmament should happen by the end of 2025.
The introduction endorsed in Thursday’s meeting lists 11 “objectives” including “ensuring the sustainability” of a November ceasefire agreement with Israel, and “the gradual end of the armed presence of all non-governmental entities, including Hezbollah, in all Lebanese territory.”
It also calls for the deployment of Lebanese army forces in the border areas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the five points in Lebanon’s south the military has occupied since last year’s war with Hezbollah.
The November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah stipulated that weapons in Lebanon be restricted to six official security and military agencies.
Following the cabinet decision on Tuesday, Morcos said the Lebanese government was waiting to review an “executive plan” on Hezbollah’s disarmament.
The army was tasked with presenting the plan to restrict the possession of weapons to government forces by the end of August.
Only then would the government review the full provisions of the US proposal, whose implementation “is dependent on the approval of each of the concerned countries,” the information minister said.
Four Shiite Muslim ministers, including three directly affiliated with Hezbollah or its ally the Amal movement, left Thursday’s session in protest of the government push to disarm the group, according to Hezbollah’s Al Manar television.
They also refused to discuss the proposal submitted by US envoy Tom Barrack, the report said.
Environment Minister Tamara Elzein, who is close to Amal, told Al Manar that the government “first hoped to consolidate the ceasefire and the Israeli withdrawal, before we could complete the remaining points” in Barrack’s proposal such as taking away Hezbollah’s weapons.
Congratulations to Lebanese President Aoun , Prime Minister , and the Council of Ministers for making the historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing the November 2024 Cessation of Hostilities agreement, UN Security Council…
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye)
In a post on X, Barrack on Thursday hailed Lebanon’s “historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing” the November ceasefire.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was to fully withdraw its troops from Lebanon but has kept them in five border points it deemed strategic.
Under Lebanon’s sect-based power-sharing system, the withdrawal of the Shiite ministers from the government meeting could serve the claim that decisions made in their absence lack consensual legitimacy.
Before last year’s war with Israel, Hezbollah had wielded great domestic power enough to impose its will on the political system or disrupt the government’s work.
But the Shiite group has emerged from the war weakened, reducing its political influence in Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc called on the government on Thursday to “correct the situation it has put itself and Lebanon in by slipping into accepting American demands that inevitably serve the interests of the Zionist enemy,” meaning Israel.
The group said on Wednesday that it would treat the government’s decision to disarm it “as if it did not exist,” accusing the cabinet of committing a “grave sin.”
Israel — which routinely carries out air strikes in Lebanon despite the November ceasefire — has already signalled it would not hesitate to launch destructive military operations if Beirut failed to disarm the group.
The Lebanese health ministry said Israel carried out several strikes on eastern Lebanon on Thursday, killing at least seven people.
Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, said on Thursday that troops “discovered a vast network of fortified tunnels” in the south.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that peacekeepers and Lebanese troops found “three bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, hundreds of explosive shells and rockets, anti-tank mines and about 250 ready-to-use improvised explosive devices.”
Prime Minister Salam said in June that the Lebanese army had dismantled more than 500 Hezbollah military positions and weapons depots in the south.
