Archive · 20 Nov 2025
HRW Accuses Israel of War Crimes in West Bank Expulsions
Human Rights Watch says Israel kicked out over 32,000 Palestinians from their homes in West Bank refugee camps.
They can't go back, and many homes were destroyed.
HRW calls this a war crime.
Israel says they did it for security reasons, but they haven't said when people can return.
This happened while there's been a lot of violence in the West Bank.
HRW reports 32,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced from Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps
Displaced residents barred from returning, hundreds of homes demolished
Expulsions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, says HRW
Israeli military cites military necessity but provides no timeline for return
Expulsions part of surge in violence in West Bank, with nearly 1,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023
- Who
- Human Rights Watch, Israeli military, Palestinians in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps
- What
- Forcibly displaced Palestinians from West Bank refugee camps, demolished homes
- When
- January and February 2025 (Operation Iron Wall), ongoing violence since October 2023
- Where
- Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps in the West Bank
- Why
- Israeli military cited military necessity, HRW says it's war crimes and crimes against humanity
Human Rights Watch
Israeli Military
Reason for expulsions
Human Rights Watch
War crimes and crimes against humanity
Israeli Military
Military necessity
- Displaced Palestinians
- 32,000
- Homes demolished
- 850+ (HRW), 1,460+ (UN)
- Palestinians killed since Oct 2023
- nearly 1,000
- Settler attacks in Oct 2023
- 264