The Israeli military has launched a large-scale operation against militants in several cities in the West Bank, displacing around 40,000 Palestinians from their homes – the highest since Israel occupied the territory nearly six decades ago. The operation, which began last month, has forced thousands of residents to seek shelter with friends and relatives or camp in temporary facilities.
The Israeli military claims its goal is to root out militant groups that launch attacks on Israeli civilians, but many Palestinians believe it’s a veiled attempt to permanently displace them from their homes and exert control over areas administered by the Palestinian Authority. The displaced are often descendants of refugees who were expelled or fled during the wars surrounding Israel’s creation in 1948.
While around 3,000 have returned home, most remain homeless after more than three weeks – a bigger displacement than during a similar Israeli campaign in 2002. The United Nations has recorded severe damage to over 150 homes and noted that water infrastructure has been contaminated with sewage in some areas.
Critics argue that the operation is part of a larger pattern of escalating violence and restrictions on Palestinian movement, which are fueling tensions and threatening the region’s stability. Maha Nassar, a Palestinian American historian, warns that this moment represents “a significant escalation” in the conflict, one that could alter the political and demographic landscape of the region.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/world/middleeast/west-bank-palestinian-displacement.html