The Israeli army confirmed an airstrike on the Tulkarem refugee camp in the northern West Bank on Thursday, describing it as a joint operation involving the Shin Bet internal security service and the air force.
According to reports, the strike killed 18 people, as stated by the Palestinian health ministry. Palestinians on the ground inspected the destruction left by the overnight attack.
The United Nations condemned the airstrike on Friday, calling it an “unlawful” use of force by Israeli security forces (ISF). “The strike is part of a deeply concerning pattern of unlawful force by ISF in military operations in the West Bank, which have resulted in widespread harm to Palestinians and significant damage to property and infrastructure,” the UN’s rights office stated.
The statement further criticized Israel’s use of lethal force, describing it as “frequently unnecessary, disproportionate, and therefore unlawful,” and called for an independent investigation into the incident. “Destroying an entire building filled with people via aerial bombing shows a blatant disregard for Israel’s obligations under international law,” the UN added.
The Israeli military confirmed that the airstrike targeted and killed Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, a Hamas leader in Tulkarem.
A source within Palestinian security services told media that the raid was the deadliest in the West Bank since 2000.