Israeli army demolishes 16 Palestinian homes in West Bank city amid deadly raid

The Israeli army demolished 16 Palestinian homes in the Tulkarem refugee camp on Tuesday, in the largest demolition operation in the occupied West Bank since last month.

The army has been conducting military operations in the northern West Bank since Jan. 21, killing more than 55 Palestinians and displacing thousands, according to Palestinian officials.

Witnesses said military bulldozers moved into the camp and started to demolish the structures.

Faisal Salama, who heads the Tulkarem Popular Committee, said Palestinian authorities had been notified by the Israeli army of its plans to raze the 16 houses amid its ongoing raid in the camp.

According to an Anadolu reporter, the demolitions were the largest since the army started its offensive in the northern West Bank last month.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank, where at least 916 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 others injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Health Ministry.