Northern West Bank refugee camps nearly emptied amid Israeli destruction: Unrwa

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has declared in a statement on Friday that the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps in the northern West Bank have been nearly emptied of their residents, as Israel continues to carry out widespread destruction. 

"People now face the prospect of having nowhere to return to," Unrwa said. 

Israeli forces have begun the demolition process of more than 16 buildings in the area, Unrwa said. 

“This comes less than a week after 11 houses were demolished in [Nur Shams] camp, 14 other houses in the Tulkarm Camp, and controlled detonations in Jenin Camp around a month ago that left the camp uninhabitable,” read the statement.

“These large-scale demolitions are an alarming new pattern. They have an unprecedented impact on the Palestine Refugees and seek to permanently change the characteristics of the camps in the northern West Bank,” Unrwa said. 

Israeli forces began attacks in the West Bank just hours after the Gaza ceasefire went into effect in January. So far, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced from the refugee camps targeted by Israel.