UN says 40,000 displaced in West Bank as Israel accused of readying annexation
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has warned that the forcible expulsion of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank is "escalating at an alarming pace", with Israel displacing 40,000 people in recent weeks.
On 21 January, Israel launched a large-scale assault on the northern occupied West Bank, just days after the Gaza ceasefire began. The military started in Jenin and its surrounding areas, killing 25 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The offensive expanded to Tulkarm on 27 January, where five Palestinians were killed. On 2 February, Israel launched another operation in Tamoun and the Fara'a camp in Tubas, withdrawing from Tamoun after a week but continuing its offensive in Fara'a.
Israeli forces are particularly targeting refugee camps, including those in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, putting an already vulnerable population at risk.
Unrwa on Monday said several refugee camps have been "nearly emptied of their residents", adding that this is the longest campaign in the territory since the 2000-2005 Second Intifada.
Read more: UN says 40,000 displaced in West Bank as Israel accused of readying annexation
