Tens of thousands of displaced people in the northern West Bank, Palestine, are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to health care.
Following the January 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, Israel launched its “Iron Wall” military operation in the occupied West Bank, forcibly displacing thousands and leaving them in an extremely precarious situation. Israel must immediately halt the forcible displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank and the humanitarian response must be scaled up and reach those in need.
“This scale of forced displacement and destruction of the camps has not been seen for decades,” said Brice de la Vingne, director of operations for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). “People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure. Camps have become ruins and dust. Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up.”
An incursion by Israeli forces destroyed road infrastructure, cut off access to water and electricity, and damaged many homes in Jenin refugee camp. Palestine 2024 © Alexandre Marcou/MSF
Escalation in the West Bank
Since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, Israeli forces have increased the use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as MSF highlighted in its report “Inflicting Harm and Denying Care.” In total, 930 Palestinians have been killed, including 187 children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Access to health care has been severely hindered, as confirmed by MSF teams on the ground who have witnessed the systematic pattern of oppression by Israel of health workers and patients. The situation further deteriorated after the temporary ceasefire in Gaza went into effect on January 19.
Israel’s Iron Wall operation has effectively emptied the three main refugee camps of the northern West Bank—in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams—forcibly displacing over 40,000 Palestinians, according to OCHA.
“The [Israeli] army raided our house and ordered us to evacuate,” said Issam, an MSF patient who was displaced from Nur Shams camp. “We weren’t allowed to take anything with us—not even our documents. All we received was the warning: ‘Get out.' Displacement is suffering, a silent anguish, a deep pain in the heart for everyone. You see the tears in people’s eyes, but we hold them back.”
The toll of violence
The mental health situation in the West Bank is alarming. Many patients experience stress, anxiety, and depression due to the violent and unpredictable nature of incursions and displacement. “People don’t know what has happened to their homes and have suffered immense losses, including their sense of purpose,” explained Mohammad, a community health educator with MSF.
“Drones were flying over the houses, ordering the residents to get out,” said Abdel, a resident of Jenin camp. “They always destroy things, but nothing like this has ever happened before.”
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MSF was providing support to residents of the three camps until having to adapt activities due to the security risks and displacement. MSF teams now operate daily mobile clinics in Tulkarem and Jenin to provide medical care to displaced people.
Our teams are treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, which have worsened due to lack of access to medication; respiratory infections; and osteo-muscular disorders, among others. MSF teams also distribute hygiene kits and food parcels to support people who were forced to leave their homes without resources or belongings. We are providing water to Khalil Suleiman Hospital, the main hospital in Jenin, to mitigate frequent supply shortages caused by damage from the military operations.
MSF continues to respond to urgent needs in the West Bank, but face immense challenges due to the scale of displacement, the escalating humanitarian crisis, and the inadequate international response as the situation deteriorates.
