Israel demolishes buildings in Jenin, West Bank, after killing an elderly man
Explosions echo across Jenin amid an ongoing Israeli military operation in the city and its nearby refugee camp.
Israel has demolished multiple buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, just hours after its forces killed a 73-year-old man, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
An Israeli army spokesperson stated that 23 buildings were destroyed on Sunday in Jenin "to prevent terrorist infrastructure from being established there." The military also claimed to have killed 50 Palestinian fighters in the West Bank since mid-January. Al Jazeera Arabic correspondents reported that the explosions leveled a residential block in the camp’s ad-Damj neighborhood.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the blasts were so intense that they were heard across the city and in surrounding towns.
The Palestinian foreign ministry denounced the destruction, calling it a “brutal scene.” Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Abbas urged the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session to halt the demolition of entire residential blocks in Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps.
Further Escalation in Violence
In a separate incident in Arroub, southern West Bank, Israeli forces killed a 27-year-old man identified as Mohammed Amjad Hadoush, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The Israeli military launched a major offensive in the occupied West Bank last month, named "Iron Wall," targeting Palestinian armed groups in Jenin. This escalation followed the January 19 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Sunday’s explosions mark a further intensification of Israel’s operations against Palestinian infrastructure.
“The sounds are horrific,” said Jenin resident Henna al-Haj Hassan, speaking to Al Jazeera by phone. She described ongoing attacks over the past two weeks and noted that a curfew was in place, forcing businesses to close.
Dr. Wisam Baker, director of Jenin Government Hospital, told Wafa that some parts of the hospital sustained damage from the blasts, though no casualties were reported. The demolitions have left many families displaced, according to the news agency.
Killing of Elderly Man
Shortly before the explosions, Israeli forces shot and killed a 73-year-old man in Jenin’s refugee camp, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. His death is the latest in a series of casualties from Israeli raids.
“The Israeli army has set up numerous roadblocks and checkpoints across the occupied West Bank, and at least 27 Palestinians have been killed,” Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reported.
“Many of them are civilians, including a two-year-old girl who was shot in the head while eating dinner at home with her family, and a 73-year-old man killed this morning by Israeli forces.”
Witnesses reported a heavy Israeli military presence on Sunday morning around the towns of Tubas and Tammun, southeast of Jenin.
The army announced that a “tactical group” had begun operations in Tammun and had discovered weapons. It also extended its "counterterrorism" operation to five additional villages, distributing Arabic-language leaflets claiming the mission aimed to “eradicate armed criminals, the lackeys of Iran.”
Israel has accused Iran—known for supporting armed groups across the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza—of supplying weapons and funds to Palestinian factions in the occupied West Bank.
Displacement and Destruction
The Israeli operation in Jenin has forcibly displaced around 15,000 Palestinians.
Jenin resident Ahmed Tobasi stated that living conditions in the refugee camp have become unbearable due to the destruction of infrastructure.
“The Israeli army doesn’t need any excuse to destroy our homes and displace us,” he told Al Jazeera.
“This is part of a long-standing plan targeting refugee camps. They want to wipe out the Palestinian cause.”
He emphasized that the attacks are not about counterterrorism but rather about uprooting Palestinian communities.
“In Jenin camp, one house isn’t just home to a single family—it often shelters three or four families,” he added.
Settler Attacks on Palestinian Sites
On Sunday, Israeli settlers, under army protection, stormed a cemetery in Silwan, south of the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem, according to Wafa. Local sources said settlers cut through a protective fence and took control of the site.
Meanwhile, Palestinian media reported that Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the Bedouin village of Arab al-Mleihat, northwest of Jericho, overnight.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned these attacks.
Violence by Israeli soldiers and settlers against Palestinians has surged across the occupied West Bank since the Gaza war began in 2023.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 882 Palestinians since the start of the war.
Despite being illegal under international law, Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem continue to expand with full government support.
