Israeli Forces Raid Qalandiya Refugee Camp in West Bank

Israeli military forces conducted a large-scale raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on August 5, 2026. During the operation, soldiers detained several Palestinians, demolished a carwash, and blocked camp entrances using piles of rocks. Reports from the scene indicate that military vehicles ran over a young man and soldiers severely beat a journalist. The military also prevented local mosques from holding dawn prayers.

These actions follow specific instructions from Israel Katz, the Israeli Defence Minister, to expand military control over refugee camps. Katz ordered the military to replicate the levels of control and presence already established in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams.

Human rights organizations have condemned the operation. B’Tselem characterized the overarching plan for the territory as making it "unliveable" for Palestinians. Human Rights Watch warned that these military actions could amount to war crimes and ethnic cleansing.