TULKAREM, July 20, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces set fire to several homes Sunday evening in Nur Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarem, as part of an ongoing military onslaught and siege that has now entered its 162nd consecutive day.

Local sources told WAFA that Israeli forces set fire to several homes in the al-Manshiya neighborhood of the camp, amid a wide deployment of military vehicles and infantry units that have taken over civilian homes, turning them into military outposts after forcibly evicting residents. Soldiers have also been firing live ammunition at anyone attempting to approach the camp.

In recent weeks, the Nur Shams camp has been subjected to widespread demolitions, with dozens of residential buildings destroyed. These operations are part of an Israeli plan to demolish 106 structures in the Nur Shams and Tulkarem camps, including 48 buildings already leveled in Nur Shams alone, resulting in vast destruction and the carving of wide roads that have fragmented the camp’s neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers continued large-scale demolition work in Tulkarem refugee camp, which began last week, targeting more residential buildings at a rapid pace.

This escalation comes as the siege on Tulkarem Camp enters its 175th day. The Israeli plan includes the demolition of 104 buildings comprising around 400 housing units.

In recent weeks, several neighborhoods in the camp have been severely affected, leaving thousands of families homeless.

The ongoing offensive has led to the forced displacement of over 5,000 families, more than 25,000 Palestinians, from the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps.

Over 600 buildings have been completely destroyed, while 2,573 homes have sustained partial damage. Both camps remain sealed off with barricades, turned into desolate zones, with residents barred from reaching their homes or recovering belongings, as Israeli forces continue to fire live rounds at anyone who comes near.

T.R.