Israel Claims Destruction at West Bank Refugee Camp Due to “Terrorist Organizations” Operating There – May 24, 2024

Israel claims that the destruction at a West Bank refugee camp was the result of “terrorist organizations” operating in the area, according to a report from CNN. The Israel Defense Forces stated that they found ammunition stockpiles and roadside explosives in the devastated refugee camp of Nour Shams.

The IDF dismantled dozens of explosives and discovered significant amounts of life-threatening ammunition in civilian buildings at Nour Shams. They also alleged that “terrorist operatives and organized terrorist forces” in West Bank refugee camps use civilian buildings and infrastructure for their operations.

The military attributed the damage to civilian infrastructure to the exploitation of buildings by terrorist organizations, claiming they tried to minimize the destruction. The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, described intense destruction in the refugee camp following a visit by agency staff.

Lazzarini stated that the once bustling area with markets and life now lay in ruins, with buildings, roads, and water and electricity networks destroyed. He highlighted that while attention is focused on the conflict in Gaza, another war is going unnoticed in the West Bank.

Violence and destruction by extremist settlers and the IDF in the West Bank have escalated during the current conflict in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, at least 518 Palestinians, including 129 children, have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

The situation in the West Bank continues to be a cause for concern, with ongoing violence and destruction affecting Palestinian communities. CNN’s reporting from Kareem Khadder and Sana Noor Haq contributed to this story.