Israeli forces raid Balata refugee camp in occupied West Bank

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Israeli special forces raided the Balata refugee camp east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, surrounding a house and carrying out a search operation inside it, local sources told Anadolu.

The sources said an Israeli undercover unit infiltrated the Schools Quarter inside the camp before surrounding the area as military reinforcements arrived.

Israeli forces then surrounded a house inside the camp and began searching it while damaging its contents, accompanied by police dogs, the sources added.

The sources said Israeli forces remained inside the house and continued search operations in the area.

The raid comes amid escalating attacks by Israeli forces and illegal settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 8, 2023, which lasted two years.

Those attacks have since killed 1,125 Palestinians and injured about 11,700 others, in addition to the arrest of roughly 22,000 people, according to official Palestinian figures.

Beyond killings and arrests, the attacks have included the destruction and demolition of homes and facilities, the displacement of Palestinians and the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which the international community considers occupied territory.

*Writing by Lina Altawell from Istanbul