Israeli occupation forces escalated their assault on the northwestern West Bank city of Tulkarem on Friday, invading residential buildings and apartments, and abducting scores of civilians in a sweeping campaign of repression.
This military escalation marks the 229th consecutive day of aggression against Tulkarem and its refugee camps, Tulkarem and Nur Shams, characterized by daily invasions and punitive measures aimed at dismantling civilian life and property.
Media sources said the soldiers stormed homes in the city’s southern district near the Qassam Mosque, conducting destructive searches, subjecting residents to interrogations, and converting several buildings, including one belonging to the Salman family, into military outposts.
Simultaneously, another Israeli unit invaded homes in the Jabal al-Sayyed area of the eastern suburb of Thannaba, carrying out extensive vandalism before abducting dozens of civilians.
The detainees were forced to march in a long column toward Nablus Street and the Salam neighborhood, where they were interrogated and held before being released hours later.
Israeli military vehicles and infantry units were deployed along Nablus Street adjacent to Tulkarem refugee camp, near the Morabitin Mosque in the western district, and in the Ezbet al-Jarad suburb.
These areas witnessed widespread invasions, violent home searches, and restrictions on civilian movement.
In parallel, Israeli bulldozers demolished several agricultural greenhouses in Thannaba, particularly near the refugee camp, while occupation forces blocked a section of Nablus Street near the Seif Abu Labda roundabout at the western entrance of Nur Shams camp using concrete barriers.
This escalation follows Thursday’s military invasion, which included the imposition of a curfew and the mass abduction of over 1,000 civilians from their homes, shops, and vehicles.
Detainees were forced to walk in long lines toward the “Netzanei Oz” military roadblock west of Tulkarem, where they were held inside the grounds of Kadouri University until after midnight.
The Israeli occupation army has tightened its siege on the city’s eastern and southern entrances, keeping the Jabara and Einav (Ennab) military gates sealed at the time of reporting.
On Thursday, a massive explosion shook the city, coinciding with heavy live fire by Israeli forces targeting civilians and vehicles in the western district and near the “Netzanei Oz” gate. Ambulance crews were prevented from reaching the area.
Since the beginning of this year, Israeli soldiers and paramilitary colonizers have killed 203 Palestinians, including 39 children and 6 women, in the occupied West Bank, while Israel continues to hold the bodies of 78 slain Palestinians. Eight of the slain Palestinians were killed by illegal Israeli paramilitary colonizers.
69 of the slain Palestinians were killed in Jenin Governorate, 37 in Nablus, 27 in Tubas, 17 in Tulkarem, 16 in Hebron, 13 in Ramallah, 9 in Bethlehem, 7 in Jerusalem, 4 in Qalqilia, 3 in Salfit and 1 in Jericho.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli soldiers and paramilitary colonizers have killed 1,038 Palestinians, including 31 who were killed by colonizers, in the West Bank; 293 in Jenin, 213 in Tulkarem, 129 in Nablus, 94 in Tubas, 93 in Hebron, 72 in Ramallah, 57 in Jerusalem, 37 in Qalqilia, 30 in Bethlehem, 13 in Jericho and 7 in Salfit.
Among the slain Palestinians are 212 children, 22 women, 17 elders, 2 medics and one journalist.
