TULKARM, April 16, 2025 (WAFA) - The ongoing Israeli aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp has entered its 80th day, and on the 67th day in the Nur Shams camp, amid ongoing escalation on the ground, raids, and arrests.
At dawn on Wednesday, Tulkarm city, its camps, and its suburbs witnessed a heavy deployment of occupation vehicles and infantry units, accompanied by raids and searches in several neighborhoods, amid heavy gunfire and sound bombs.
Local sources reported that infantry units deployed after midnight on Jabal Iskan al-Muwatefin (the employees' housing) in the Iktaba suburb, opposite the Nur Shams camp, amid extensive combing operations. A loud explosion and heavy gunfire were heard.
Late last night, occupation forces raided the al-Qaisi and al-Huda gas station in the al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city, and detained a number of young men present there. They searched them, checked their IDs, and abused them. No arrests were reported.
The military deployment extended to the Dhnaba suburb and the road connecting it to the town of Kafr al-Labad to the east. These forces fired sound bombs and detained Osama al-Ali, the brother of the slain youth Moatasem al-Ali. They subjected him to field investigation before releasing him later this morning.
Occupation forces patrolled several neighborhoods within the city, most notably: the street of the Martyr Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital, the center of the vegetable market, the eastern neighborhood, Nablus Street, and Courts Street. Vehicles were blocked and prevented from passing on many occasions.
In addition, in recent days, the occupation forces have escalated their forced displacement campaigns against residents of the Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, Nablus Street, and the traffic circle surrounding the northern neighborhood of the city. They forced residents, after threats and intimidation, to evacuate their homes, giving them a short period of time to collect their belongings. The homes were then converted into military barracks.
Meanwhile, Nablus Street, which connects the Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, has witnessed a heavy deployment of occupation forces, restricting citizens' movement and obstructing their movement on the street, which has been closed off with earth mounds in both directions. Roadblocks are also being erected along the street, preventing vehicles from passing.
In a related context, in-person classes resumed this morning at five girls' secondary and elementary schools in the eastern neighborhood of the city: Al-Adawiya, Abu Salma Al-Karmi, Khawla Bint Al-Azwar, and Ishbiliya. These schools were closed for more than two and a half months due to the aggression.
The resumption of classes at these schools comes days after the resumption of in-person classes in the rest of the city's schools and suburbs, which began on the 6th of this month. These five schools were delayed due to the security situation in the area.
The ongoing Israeli aggression and escalation on the city of Tulkarm and its two camps have resulted in the deaths of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens have also been injured and arrested.
It also resulted in the forced displacement of more than 4,000 families from the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, along with hundreds of citizens from the northern neighborhood of the city after their homes were seized and a number of them converted into military barracks.
The aggression caused extensive destruction to the infrastructure, including homes, shops, and vehicles, which were completely and partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and stolen. 396 homes were completely destroyed and 2,573 partially destroyed in the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, in addition to blocking their entrances and alleys with earth mounds.
