Tulkarm Camp

Tulkarm Camp
Refugee Camp
Arabic transcription(s)
 • Arabicمخيّم طولكرم
Tulkarm Camp is located in State of Palestine
Tulkarm Camp
Tulkarm Camp
Location of Tulkarm Camp within Palestine
Coordinates: 32°18′50″N 35°2′7″E / 32.31389°N 35.03528°E / 32.31389; 35.03528
StateState of Palestine
GovernorateTulkarm Governorate
Government
 • TypeRefugee Camp (from 1950)
Area
 • Total
465 dunams (0.18 km2 or 0.07 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
10,387
 • Density58,000/km2 (150,000/sq mi)
2018 United Nations map of the area, showing the Israeli occupation arrangements.

Tulkarm Camp (Arabic: مخيم طولكرم, romanized: Mukhayyam Ṭūlkarm) is a Palestinian refugee camp north of the West Bank in the city of Tulkarm, established in 1950 on 0.18 km2 by the UNRWA.[1] It is the second largest refugee camp in the West Bank, as well as one of the most densely populated.[2] The camp was severely affected during the Second Intifada by incursions, arrests, raids and curfews. Incursions still take place, though on a more irregular basis. In 2013, the health centre was reconstructed with project funds amounting to US$1.7 million. Tulkarm camp has four UNRWA schools.[1][3][4]

History

In 1950, the Tulkarm Camp was established by UNRWA in the city, comprising an area of 0.18 square kilometres (0.07 sq mi). Most of the refugees who resided in the camp came from Jaffa, Caesarea and Haifa. Today it is the second largest Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank.[5]

During the early months of First Intifada on 26 April 1989 Izam Omar Hasan, aged 8, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers. On the same day Samar Muhammad Manid, aged 9, was shot in the eye with a plastic bullet. He died 5 days later. In March 1990, responding to questions from a member of Knesset, Minister of Defence Yitzak Rabin stated the army was active in Tulkarm at the time of the deaths and that in the case of the 9-year-old the Military Police Investigation was continuing; in the case of the 8-year-old an officer was reprimanded for firing five plastic bullets breaking operational orders, but it could not be established if he killed the boy because no autopsy was carried out.[6] On 31 May Muhammad Hamadan, aged 8 months, was shot dead by soldiers while being carried by his mother in Tulkarm refugee camp.[7]

In 2023, the IDF launched a raid on the camp as part of the spillover of the Israel–Hamas war.

On 3 October 2024 the Israeli military carried out an airstrike on the camp, killing 20 people.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Tulkarm Camp". UNRWA. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  2. ^ "مخيم طولكرم للاجئين". UNRWA (in Arabic). Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Profile: Tulkarm Camp" (PDF). UNRWA. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  4. ^ "مخيم طولكرم | مركز المعلومات الوطني الفلسطيني". Wafa (in Arabic). Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. ^ Tulkarm Refugee Camp. United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
  6. ^ Talmor, Ronny (translated by Ralph Mandel) (1990) The Use of Firearms - By the Security Forces in the Occupied Territories. B'Tselem. download p. 75 MK Yair Tsaban to defence ministers Yitzhak Rabin & Yitzhak Shamir, p.81 Rabin's reply
  7. ^ B'Tselem information sheet update 1 June 1989. p4. also refers to Samar Manid/Mara'i. pdf
  8. ^ Al Jazeera Staff. "Israeli air attack on West Bank's Tulkarem camp kills at least 18: Ministry". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 3 October 2024.