In late January, Israel began its longest military operation in the occupied West Bank in decades, displacing more than 40,000 people from four refugee camps. In February, Israel deployed tanks to Jenin, the first time that tanks have been used in the West Bank since the early 2000s.
At least 90 Palestinians have so far been killed, most in Jenin refugee camp. Almost all of Jenin camp’s 20,000 residents have had to flee with around 2,600 families seeking shelter in Jenin city. The remainder have fled to surrounding cities and villages in the northern West Bank.
The Israeli Minister of Defence announced at the end of February that those displaced from the emptied refugee camps in the northern West Bank would not be allowed to return and instructed the Israeli military to remain there for at least a year.
The past year and a half has also seen an increased use of airstrikes by the Israeli military in the West Bank. According to research from B’Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights organisation and Christian Aid’s Irish Aid funded local partner, 69 Israeli airstrikes have killed 261 people, including 41 children. In the preceding 18 years only 14 people had been killed by airstrikes in the West Bank.
As the situation in the West Bank reached boiling point, Christian Aid heard from a voluntary aid worker, Aseel, who works for a community protection committee in Jenin refugee camp supported by our local partner PARC.
Aseel has been helping some of those who were forced to flee Jenin camp following the Israeli military’s latest offensive, providing food parcels, essential medicines for the elderly as well as diapers and milk for infants.
This is a very serious crisis. There are no words to describe what is going on on the ground. It’s like there’s been an earthquake. It’s a disaster zone.
Aseel lived in Jenin refugee camp all her life but ten months ago moved out with her family because it was no longer safe to remain. She has since lived in a rented property nearby so she can continue her work with the committee.
Aseel explained, that while the Israeli army routinely conduct military operations in Jenin refugee camp, the ongoing offensive is on a different scale.
“In previous times, our homes were affected but the Israelis left us to stay in our homes. But this time they announced that we must leave the camp. And they asked people to leave without any belongings - just to take yourself and your children and get out of the camp because it is going to be bombed,” she said.
“The number of people who have been killed this time is very high. Also, the military method that they are using is more severe. They are damaging, destroying, burning and bombing houses,” she added.
Aseel said that this latest military offensive has marked a real step change in terms of duration, scope and force.
“The scale of the offensive is escalating very fast. I don’t want to see what has happened in Gaza repeated in the West Bank, but we are worried that they will force us to see the same scenes that Palestinians have seen in Gaza,” Aseel said.
I think with the amount of destruction of homes, facilities and infrastructure, that after a few more days Jenin will turn into another Jabalia.
Jabalia was an area of Gaza the Israeli miliary besieged for three months.
While some of those forced to flee Jenin camp have been able to stay in rented accommodation, others lack proper shelter or access to essential services. Those staying in the homes of relatives find themselves living in cramped conditions.
“Most of my relatives’ homes are damaged, destroyed and burned. My uncle had his own home in the camp but right now they are living with us,” Aseel said.
Aseel’s community protection committee received training from Christian Aid’s partner PARC to help them respond to emergencies, including first aid and search and recovery skills. However, the committee have not been able to access the camp since the start of the offensive.
“People report missing relatives to my committee. There is an elderly man missing under the rubble and we are trying as much as we can to get inside the camp but we still haven’t been able to get access from the Israeli authorities. I have also just received a report from relatives of a disabled man who has been missing for 15 days,” Aseel added.
Aseel says she is fearful for her safety in doing her work and she has good reason. Last summer while driving through the camp in the course of her work, Aseel’s car was struck by bullets fired by Israeli soldiers. Aseel described it as “a miracle” that she was able to escape unscathed. But despite the dangers she faces, Aseel’s commitment to helping fellow Palestinians in need trumps all else.
“I am very afraid because of the situation in Jenin. But my duty and my responsibility to respond to the needs of my relatives and the people in my camp is something holy for me.”
Aseel had a clear message for people across the world and the international community.
"I want people to know that the Israelis are systematically targeting the Palestinian community by ethnic cleansing, by destroying and demolishing our homes and trying to prevent any source of life in the West Bank.”
“I want the international community to pressure the Israeli government to stop this military offensive immediately and provide for the people in my community and the refugee camp. While relief is very important, the most important thing is to stop this escalation against the Palestinian people and I ask that the international community deal with the root causes of this problem. It is not only Jenin, it is not only Gaza, it is not only the West Bank, it is the Palestinian issue itself.”
Katie Roxburgh, who is Christian Aid’s programme manager for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, last month visited the West Bank. Speaking of the situation, she said:
“People are talking about the ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank, and there’s been a huge rise in settler violence and military escalation. We need to see the EU and Western states who say they believe in international law and human rights finally take action to defend them.”
She continued: “The Occupied Territories Bill, which would end Irish economic support for the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank is a perfect example of this. As an organisation seeing the horrific impact in the West Bank every day, we urge the Irish Government to progress that legislation urgently."
We'll use your donatin to help families around the world overcome poverty and injustice wherever the need is greatest.