TULKARM, February 28, 2025 (WAFA) – The Governor of Tulkarm Abdullah Kmail Thursday described the ongoing Israeli military aggression on the city and its refugee camps as a crushing calamity.
Speaking during a press briefing with the correspondents and representatives of The Washington Post, Bloomberg, the Spanish news agency, Frankfurter German news agency, and The National News agency at his office in the city, Governor Kmail stated that what is going on in the city and nearby refugee camps of Nur Shams and Tulkarm was a crushing calamity or a major catastrophe that has befallen them.
He added that the unprecedented Israeli military invasion, which has entered the second consecutive month, was driven by a political decision that is inextricably linked to Israeli officials’ statements on the annexation of the West Bank.
Annexation of occupied territory is illegal under international law. The occupation government prefers to term it as "applying sovereignty", though that makes little difference legally. Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has annexed occupied East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights in moves never recognized by the international community.
He noted that this ongoing invasion differs from previous ones, as Tulkarm and its camps have been subjected to 62 incursions since 2023.
"What is taking place is a continuation of the crime committed by the occupation in the Gaza Strip. There has been massive displacement of the inhabitants of the Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, as approximately 85% of them have already been forcibly displaced due to this aggression,” Kmail said.
He added that there has been systematic destruction of vital basic private and public infrastructure, including roads, water pipes, electricity lines, sewage systems, houses and stores in the course of the Israeli military aggression.
He further explained that the number of houses completely or partially destroyed in previous incursions reached 1,100 in both camps. Meanwhile, technical teams from official institutions and partner organizations cannot assess the extent of the current damage in the camps due to movement restrictions and security risks.
Kamil pointed out that when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ‘Defense’ Minister, Yisrael Katz, stormed Tulkarm and its refugee camp, they sought to recreate images reminiscent of Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, giving the illusion that a state of war had been underway.
He warned that giving the illusion that there has been a state of war waged in the city and its refugee camp was extremely dangerous and had significant political implications, holding the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the bloodshed, noting that the death toll in the course of this aggression reached 13, including a pregnant woman and her unborn child, and the total death toll from in Tulkarm since 2023 has risen to 223.
Kamil stressed that the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the refugee camps violate international humanitarian law, human rights laws, and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
He added that Tulkarm has taken a severe toll due to the military siege, and destruction of vital infrastructure, along with ensuing economic, health, and educational implications, while commending the local Dignity and Relief Committee, whose members comprise representatives of official institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector and volunteers, for its efforts to support displaced families by providing them with essential shelter and aid.
K.F.
