The Jerusalem Governorate announced that Israeli forces have withdrawn from the Qalandia refugee camp and the town of Kafr Aqab, north of occupied East Jerusalem, following a two-day military operation that, according to the governorate, left dozens of people injured and detained and caused extensive damage to public and private property.
In a statement, the governorate said Israeli forces significantly increased their military presence in both locations, deploying large numbers of soldiers and military vehicles, positioning snipers on residential rooftops, and using stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber-coated bullets during raids, searches, and house-to-house operations.
According to the statement, medical teams from the Palestine Red Crescent Society treated 51 cases during the operation, including:
* 38 people hospitalized after being assaulted.
* 6 people treated at the scene for injuries sustained in assaults.
* 1 person injured by a rubber-coated bullet.
* 6 cases of tear gas inhalation.
The governorate also said Israeli forces carried out a broad campaign of arrests and field interrogations, with more than 60 Palestinians reportedly detained, arrested, or questioned during the operation, including women and children, adding that the actual number may be higher.
According to the statement, the operation also caused significant property damage. Israeli forces reportedly demolished seven commercial shops near the Qalandia military checkpoint, destroyed a vehicle wash facility, bulldozed the courtyard of a residential home, and damaged the contents of dozens of houses during search operations.
The Jerusalem Governorate said Qalandia refugee camp holds strategic significance because of its location at the northern gateway to Jerusalem Governorate, an area where, according to the statement, major Israeli settlement projects are being implemented that aim to reshape the city’s geographic and demographic landscape.
