Nearly 40 Hours of Raids, Looting Allegations.
For a second consecutive day, Israeli forces continued their operation in Qalandiya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, amid demolitions, widespread raids and detentions, and homes being converted into military barracks. Mohammed Said, media and public relations official for the camp’s popular services committee, told Safa news agency that the incursion had been ongoing for roughly 40 hours, accompanied by abuse of residents and the conversion of several homes into military barracks and field control points. He said Israeli forces had looted money and gold jewelry from some homes during the raids, alongside severe beatings of young men. A 50-year-old man was taken to hospital after being assaulted by Israeli forces inside the camp, while field treatment was administered to a young man who had been beaten.
Shops Demolished, a Home Blown Up.
Israeli forces began demolishing several commercial shops around the Qalandiya military checkpoint, while closing the main road to vehicle traffic, causing a complete standstill in movement. The Jerusalem governorate said Israeli forces imposed a curfew on the streets of Kafr Aqab at dawn via loudspeakers and closed all junctions and roads leading to Jerusalem, including al-Ma’had Street, amid intensive military deployment. It added that the operation had entered its 22nd hour, with Israeli forces blocking ambulances from entering the camp and hindering the transfer of medical cases to hospitals. Israeli forces evacuated the home of resident Mohammed Jamil Ammar, planted explosives inside it, detonated parts of the structure, and later detained him.
Vehicles Destroyed, a Martyr’s Memorial Torn Down.
Israeli forces later began demolishing structures along the main street stretching from the Qalandiya military checkpoint to the town of Kafr Aqab. They attacked residents’ vehicles, smashing some and seizing others, amid widespread concern that the demolitions could expand further. They also removed billboards from the middle of the main street and in front of shops, demolished a bird shop belonging to resident Iyad Fayyala, and tore down a memorial for a Palestinian man previously killed in the area, located at one of the camp’s entrances. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its crews had handled 10 injuries so far from Israeli attacks, in addition to evacuating several medical cases.
Jerusalem-based sources warned that the widening military assault on Qalandiya camp and Kafr Aqab represents an extension of a systematic Israeli policy targeting Palestinian refugee camps, arguing Israel is seeking to replicate the model of large-scale military incursions it has carried out in camps such as Jenin and elsewhere in the northern West Bank. The operation comes as Israel continues separate ongoing assaults on the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams camps, having announced last week an extension of military orders keeping those camps closed until September 30.