Full Breakdown
Israeli Forces Conduct Large-Scale Raid in Qalandiya Refugee Camp, East Jerusalem
8/6/2026, 6:14:23 AM
Large-Scale Raid in Qalandiya Camp
On Wednesday, Israeli forces entered the Qalandiya refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem in what the Jerusalem Governorate described as a “large-scale operation.” Dozens of military vehicles arrived before dawn, carrying boxes, equipment and maps. Soldiers spread across several neighbourhoods, conducting home raids, searches and arrests. Palestinian sources reported that the camp’s Popular Committee headquarters was raided and several residents were forcibly removed from their homes. One family was ordered to evacuate entirely, and dawn prayers were halted in all camp mosques.
Background and Context
Qalandiya, home to more than 15,000 Palestinian refugees, lies in a densely populated sector of the West Bank. Earlier Israeli media cited security sources suggesting an expansion of raids to multiple refugee camps following recent operations in Jenin and Tulkarm.
Key Figures and Groups
- Jerusalem Governorate – local authority reporting the scale of the operation.
- Cogat (Coordinator for Activities in the West Bank) – Israeli military office that posted the operation’s stated objectives on Facebook.
- Muhammad Sumrin – journalist who was severely beaten while covering the raid.
- Palestinian Red Crescent – medical organization that treated a 53-year-old man injured during the operation.
Data and Statistics
- Dozens of military vehicles entered the camp.
- At least one Palestinian man suffered leg injuries after being struck by a vehicle.
- A 53-year-old man was beaten, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
- Bulldozers breached the camp wall and demolished a car wash on Almatar Street.
Official Statements and Criticism
Cogat’s Facebook post framed the raid as a necessary measure against threats to regional security, though it did not specify the alleged terrorist activity. Rights groups have condemned the operation, describing it as a “pogrom” against Palestinians in the West Bank and calling for an end to the violence.
The raid underscores ongoing tensions over Israeli security operations in the occupied West Bank and the humanitarian impact on the camp’s residents.
