Israeli raid in West Bank’s Qalandiya injures 51 Palestinians | Human Rights News
Israeli Forces Conduct Major Raid in Qalandiya, Injuring Dozens
JERUSALEM — Israeli security forces have carried out a large-scale operation in the Qalandiya refugee camp, injuring at least 51 Palestinians, according to the Jerusalem Governorate. The incident occurred amid escalating military and settler violence in the West Bank.
During the raid on Thursday, Israeli forces demolished commercial shops near the Qalandiya checkpoint and subsequently imposed a curfew on the nearby town of Kafr Aqab, closing off access routes to Jerusalem.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that 35 individuals were hospitalized due to serious injuries sustained during the operation, while six others were treated on-site. Among the casualties was one person struck by a rubber-coated steel bullet, and six others suffered from tear gas inhalation.
PRCS officials noted that their ambulance crews faced significant obstacles in reaching the injured following the raid, although some patients were successfully evacuated, including individuals needing kidney dialysis.
Israeli soldiers reportedly fired stun grenades at journalists at the camp’s entrance, instructing them to disperse. Local Palestinian media indicated that numerous Palestinians, including women and children, were detained for questioning in makeshift holding sites within homes.
In a related incident, Israeli forces also conducted a raid in Jenin on Thursday, resulting in the shooting of one Palestinian and the assault of another, according to PRCS.
Reports indicate a troubling trend of increased violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, which has intensified in recent months. Rights organizations have documented over 11,000 instances of military and settler violence in the first half of this year, with more than 2,300 Palestinians displaced due to these actions.
A United Nations-appointed commission of inquiry concluded in June that Israeli authorities have consistently failed to prevent or respond to settler violence, enabling such acts through military protection and support.
In parallel, Israeli authorities have restricted the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem, leading to the demolition of several of the agency’s facilities, including those near Qalandiya.
Since assuming responsibility for civilian matters in the West Bank, Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich has approved the establishment of over 104 illegal settlements and 160 agricultural outposts. Additionally, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has distributed thousands of firearms to settlers under state-supported “civil defense” initiatives.
Several Western governments, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, have sanctioned individual settlers and Israeli officials, including Minister Smotrich, in response to their roles in the escalating violence.
In a notable policy shift, U.S. President Donald Trump revoked previous sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of assaulting Palestinians shortly after returning to the White House last year.
