Israel’s forced removal of tens of thousands of Palestinians from refugee camps in the occupied West Bank earlier this year amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has alleged.
According to a 105-page report released by the non-profit organization, 32,000 Palestinians were expelled by Israeli forces from three camps in January and February, while international attention was focused on Israel’s war in Gaza, and they have not been allowed to return.
As part of its research, HRW said it interviewed 31 displaced Palestinian refugees from Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps. The organization also analyzed satellite imagery and Israeli military demolition orders, as well as verified video and images of Israeli military operations.
In response to the report, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN in a statement that the military launched what it called Operation “Iron Wall” in the three camps ten months ago “in light of the security threats posed by these camps and the growing presence of terrorist elements within them.”
The IDF said it destroyed “rows of buildings” to create “new access routes inside the camps.” The military said the decision to demolish the buildings “was made based on operational necessity, with careful consideration and only after alternative options to achieve the same military advantage were examined.”
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