51 Palestinians Injured During Israeli Raid on Qalandiya Refugee Camp
Reporting based primarily on aljazeera.com.
In the Palestine conflict, Israeli forces conducted a large-scale raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, injuring at least 51 Palestinians, while simultaneous raids, detentions, assaults and demolition actions targeted five Palestinian communities across four governorates. [2]
Overview of the Qalandiya Raid
Israeli forces carried out a large-scale raid in the Qalandiya refugee camp that injured at least 51 Palestinians according to the Jerusalem Governorate. [2] At least 51 Palestinians were injured in the Qalandiya raid, with 35 hospitalised after severe beatings, one hit by a rubber-coated steel bullet, six suffering tear gas inhalation and six more treated at the scene. [2] Israeli forces demolished commercial shops near the Qalandiya checkpoint. [2] The raid formed part of broader Israeli army attacks and settler violence that have intensified in the occupied West Bank. [2]
Impact on Medical Access and Civilians
Israeli forces imposed a curfew on the neighbouring town of Kafr Aqab and sealed off roads linking the area to Jerusalem. [2] The Palestine Red Crescent Society said ambulance crews had been blocked from reaching the wounded since late at night on Wednesday, though crews still managed to evacuate several patients including people requiring kidney dialysis. [2] Dozens of Palestinians including children and women were detained for field interrogations inside homes converted into makeshift holding sites according to local Palestinian media. [2] Israeli soldiers fired stun grenades at journalists stationed at the camp’s entrance and ordered them to leave. [2] The Palestine Red Crescent Society said 35 people were hospitalised after severe beatings and six more were treated at the scene. [2] One person was hit by a rubber-coated steel bullet while six others suffered tear gas inhalation. [2]
Israeli forces raid Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank injuring 51 Palestinians. — Source: aljazeera
Simultaneous Operations Across the West Bank
Israeli raids and occupier attacks targeted five Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank with incidents including detentions, occupier assaults and demolition notices across four governorates according to local sources. [1] Israeli forces also raided the city of Jenin on Thursday shooting one Palestinian and assaulting another according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. [2] Separate Israeli raids hit Jenin while occupier attacks across the West Bank included tree uprooting orders on 78 acres of Palestinian land to enable illegal settlement expansion. [3] Israeli army attacks and settler violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank have intensified in the past months moving in tandem with increased demolitions of Palestinian property and illegal seizure of their land. [2]
Land Seizure and Settlement Expansion
Israeli army orders called for the uprooting of trees across 78 acres of Palestinian land amid illegal settlement expansion. [3] Since taking on authority over civilian affairs in the occupied West Bank Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich has approved legalised or re-established more than 104 illegal settlements and 160 agricultural outposts. [2] Israel has banned UNRWA the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in occupied East Jerusalem and demolished several of the agency’s facilities there including near Qalandiya. [2]
Israeli forces raid Qalandiya refugee camp injuring 51 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. — Source: anadolu
Rising Violence Trends and UN Findings
Rights groups have recorded more than 11,000 Israeli military and settler attacks across the West Bank in the first half of this year alone with more than 2,300 Palestinians forced from their homes due to settler violence and related restrictions. [2] A United Nations-appointed commission of inquiry concluded in June that Israeli authorities have repeatedly failed to prevent foreseeable settler attacks and investigate and punish those responsible. [2] In some cases Israeli authorities directly enabled violence through army protection and the provision of weapons and funding to settlers the investigators said. [2]
Policy and International Responses
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has distributed thousands of firearms to settlers through state-backed civil defence programmes. [2] Several Western governments including the United Kingdom Canada and France have sanctioned individual settlers as well as sitting ministers such as Smotrich over their role in the violence. [2] In one of his first decrees after returning to the White House last year US President Donald Trump revoked limited US sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians. [2]
What to watch next: Israeli army attacks and settler violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank are expected to continue amid the ongoing pattern of more than 11,000 attacks recorded in the first half of this year and the failure of Israeli authorities to prevent or punish settler violence as detailed by the UN commission.
