Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces have escalated their operations in the Qalandiya refugee camp and the town of Kafr Aqab, north of occupied Jerusalem, since midday Tuesday.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Palestine Red Crescent Society reported treating three injuries: one individual was shot in the thigh, another sustained injuries from live-fire shrapnel, and a third was assaulted and beaten. The Jerusalem Governorate confirmed that at least three residents were injured by live fire, with numerous others experiencing suffocation due to tear gas and sound bombs. Several residents were detained during the extensive incursion conducted by occupation forces in both Kafr Aqab and Qalandiya camp.
The incursion featured a significant military presence and extensive raids on homes and commercial properties. The governorate further noted that some residents were detained and others were assaulted during brief detentions. Israeli forces also occupied several residential buildings at the entrance of Qalandiya camp, taking control of rooftops and forcibly evacuating residents from three apartments near the main mosque.
One of the evacuated apartments was converted into a military outpost, with Israeli forces declaring their intention to maintain control of the site until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The operation involved a coordinated effort by the Israeli army, police, border guard, tax authority, and occupation municipality, supported by numerous vehicles, including bulldozers, cranes, and clamp trucks.
Additionally, the forces raided multiple commercial shops, seizing clothing with international brand logos, as well as eggs and meat, citing licensing issues. Cartons of cigarettes, reportedly worth tens of thousands of shekels, were confiscated for alleged unpaid taxes. The Jerusalem Governorate reported that contents from an agricultural nursery were seized, ambulance crews were obstructed, and journalists covering the events were assaulted. School students were reportedly targeted with sound bombs, and private surveillance cameras were confiscated.
In a subsequent development, Israeli forces initiated demolition operations along the road from the Qalandiya military checkpoint to Kafr Aqab, damaging and seizing residents' vehicles and raising concerns about potential expansion of demolitions. Advertising billboards were removed, a shop selling birds was demolished, and a memorial structure was destroyed during the ongoing incursion.
The Qalandiya military checkpoint was closed by Israeli forces, leaving hundreds of residents traveling to or from occupied Jerusalem stranded.