Israel's Emptying of West Bank Refugee Camps Could Be Crimes Against Humanity: UN

{"heading_1":"Operation 'Iron Wall': The Military Operation","subheading_1":"Description of the Operation","paragraph_1":"As of July 2026, 33,362 Palestinian refugees displaced from the three camps had not been permitted to return, according to the UN.","paragraph_2":"The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has seen a surge in violence since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip following Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.","subheading_2":"Human Rights Violations","subheading_3":"UN Response and Israeli Counterclaims","subheading_4":"Current Situation","paragraph_3":"The violence escalated significantly with the launch of Operation Iron Wall on January 21, 2025, 48 hours after a fragile ceasefire came into effect in the Gaza Strip.","paragraph_4":"Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed troops to prepare for a prolonged presence in the cleared camps for the coming year and to prevent the return of residents and the resurgence of terrorism.","paragraph_5":"The UN rights office described the operation as a violation of international law, while Israel's mission in Geneva accused the report of spreading misinformation and neglecting to mention the threat of terrorist attacks.","paragraph_6":"The UN rights chief Volker Turk warned that the operation was aimed at expelling as many Palestinians as possible and making way for more illegal Israeli settlements, further violating international law."}