Israel continues Qalandiya raid after order to take over a Palestinian refugee camp

The Israeli military carried out a significant operation in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the West Bank on Thursday, continuing an ongoing wave of violence in the occupied territory. At least ten individuals were reported injured, with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society alleging that Israeli forces prevented medical teams from reaching the area.

Military leaflets distributed in the vicinity announced: "Israeli security forces have launched a large-scale operation against terrorists." The raid commenced overnight on Tuesday. Palestinian sources reported that numerous homes were raided, dozens of citizens were detained and interrogated, families were forcibly displaced, and multiple Palestinians were arrested.

Wafa, a Palestinian news agency, also reported extensive demolition operations targeting homes and commercial areas. While Israel's military frequently raids Palestinian refugee camps, the scale and circumstances of the latest assault on Qalandiya have sparked concerns that the region may soon see a major escalation. Since the Gaza conflict, the army has demolished three refugee camps in the north of the West Bank, displacing tens of thousands.

Qalandiya, housing over sixteen thousand people according to the UN, is situated near the main checkpoint between East Jerusalem and Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority's administrative capital. In late July, Defense Minister Israel Katz directed the army to take control of a refugee camp, although the specific camp was not named.

He cited the "Tulkarm, Nur Shams, and Jenin model," referring to three camps almost completely flattened by the military, from which residents cannot return. Israel's military and defense ministry have not yet commented on whether Qalandiya is the camp intended for seizure. Earlier this month, on July 27, Israel's military conducted a second raid in Qalandiya, targeting a large UNRWA training facility.

The agency expressed deep concern over the protection of UN premises under international law, citing the absence of documentation explaining the purpose of the entry and noting that municipal officials took photographs of buildings, offices, and training facilities. UNRWA emphasized that the facility was the oldest vocational training center in its network and had been under siege for several months. The Israeli government has already taken over key UNRWA properties in nearby East Jerusalem.