Tragedy Unfolds: Israeli Forces' Raid Leaves Five Palestinians Dead and Dozens Injured in Jenin Refugee Camp

19-06-2023

Talita Dielemans

Middle East and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence

Israeli forces carried out a raid on the Jenin refugee camp on the morning of Monday, June 19th, resulting in the death of five Palestinians and causing injuries to at least 91 individuals. The five victims who lost their lives have been identified, all of whom were children and young adults, aged between 15 and 29, further deepening the sorrow surrounding this devastating incident. [1] In the assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, more than 45 residents suffered injuries, with 15 Palestinians being treated in Jenin city hospitals for bullet wounds, including two individuals in critical condition. Among the victims was a young girl who was struck in the head by a bullet, while three others sustained facial injuries from bullet fragments or grenades. [2] 

The Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank has become a haunting symbol of recurring violence. In January, a raid led to the tragic deaths of ten Palestinians [3], followed by intensified Israeli raids in March, claiming the lives of at least four more Palestinians. [4] As June unfolds, a series of raids resurfaces, perpetuating the cycle of unrest. [5] During the 19th of June raid, a number of Israeli forces, with overwhelming force and accompanied by 120 military vehicles, forcefully entered the city. They deployed snipers on the rooftops of some houses, igniting violent confrontations, the heavily-armed soldier fired ammunition, grenades and tear gas canisters, and an army armoured bulldozer destroyed a water carrier pipeline supplying water to al-Jabiriyyat neighbourhood, which caused a large power blackout. [6] These relentless actions leave Palestinians in a state of utter desolation and deprivation time and time again. 

The recent raid on the Jenin refugee camp is a distressing reminder of the ongoing human rights violations in the occupied West Bank. The loss of five young Palestinian lives and the injuries inflicted upon numerous individuals is a show of the excessive use of force by Israeli forces. The account of a young girl being struck by a bullet and others enduring severe facial injuries highlight the indiscriminate nature of the violence, unleashed upon innocent civilians. These incidents are part of a disturbing pattern, with previous raids in January and March claiming the lives of additional Palestinians. The cycle of unrest persists, perpetuating a chain of suffering for the Palestinian population. With each raid, the actions of Israeli forces plunge Palestinians deeper into distress, further undermining their basic human rights. The international community must condemn these violations and work towards a just and lasting resolution that upholds the dignity and well-being of all people involved in the conflict.

Sources and further reading:

[1] Al Jazeera, ‘Five Palestinians killed as Israeli forces raid West Bank camp’ (19 June 2023) <https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/19/deaths-injuries-as-israeli-forces-raid-jenin> accessed 19 June 2023.

[2] The New Arab, ‘‘Biggest Israeli raid on Jenin in years’’ kills five Palestinians with helicopters bombing West Bank for first time since Second Intifada’ (19 June 2023) <https://www.newarab.com/news/biggest-israel-jenin-raid-years-kills-three-palestinians> accessed 19 June 2023.

[3] Deutsche Welle (DW), ‘Deaths reported in Israeli operation in West Bank’ (26 January 2023) <https://www.dw.com/en/deaths-reported-in-israeli-operation-in-west-bank/a-64521415> accessed 19 June 2023.

[4] Al Jazeera, ‘Israeli forces kill four Palestinians in latest Jenin raid’ (16 March 2023) <https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/16/israeli-forces-kill-palestinians-in-latest-jenin-raid> accessed 19 June 2023.

[5] Deutsche Welle (DW), ‘Jenin: 3 Palestinians killed in Israeli raid in West Bank’ (19 June 2023) <https://www.dw.com/en/jenin-3-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-raid-in-west-bank/a-65957687> accessed 19 June 2023.

[6] WAFA, ‘Number of Palestinians killed in Israeli raid on Jein camp rises to five’ (19 June 2023) <https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/136370> accessed 19 June 2023.