Israeli forces release wild boars in Tulkarm as they expand offensive to Nablus

Israeli forces released wild boars into a Palestinian town on Tuesday as they extended a months-long offensive against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank into Nablus. 

A military truck unloaded at least 18 wild boars near Iktaba town northeast of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, resident Hoda Habayeb told Middle East Eye.

She said the animals were released in a residential employee housing complex overlooking the Nour Shams refugee camp, which has been the target of intense Israeli raids for nearly two months.

The release of the boars sparked fear among residents, particularly as the area is densely populated and frequented by children.

“This is the first time we’ve seen wild boars inside Tulkarm, and it’s terrifying because the area is residential,” Habayeb said.

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“Then we saw them heading towards the rest of Iktaba.” 

In recent days, some forcibly displaced residents of the Nour Shams camp have attempted to return to their homes, despite being blocked by the Israeli army. 

Habayeb believes the release of the boars was intended to intimidate residents and discourage them from re-entering the camp, which has been widely destroyed by Israeli forces.

The use of wild boars by Israeli settlers has been reported previously as a tactic to harass Palestinian communities in the West Bank, though it hasn't previously been reported that the army used the same method. 

The animals are known to destroy crops, damage property, and pose a threat to public safety - further exacerbating the hardship faced by Palestinian residents under military pressure.

Nablus camp under attack 

Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it is expanding its offensive in the West Bank by advancing on the Balata refugee camp in Nablus.

The large-scale assault began in January, initially targeting Jenin, before extending to Tulkarm and now Nablus.

Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians, demolished scores of homes, and forcibly displaced around 40,000 people during the ongoing offensive.

After roughly 24 hours of raiding the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, the Israeli army withdrew to the outskirts of the camp, leaving behind destroyed homes as well as numerous wounded and detained individuals.

Ahmed Dhuqan, head of the Balata Camp Popular Committee for Services, told MEE that large Israeli military forces stormed the camp from the early hours of Wednesday until Thursday morning, targeting several residential areas.

He said soldiers carried out widespread vandalism across more than 150 homes, removing floor tiles, breaking electrical appliances and dismantling doors and water pipes.

“The soldiers arrested a woman and seven young men, while more than 50 residents suffered from tear gas inhalation and from sound bombs that were fired intensively in the camp’s alley,” Dhuaqn said. 

“Another 14 people were wounded by live ammunition, and several young men were severely beaten by the soldiers.”

Elsewhere, Israeli bulldozers demolished three homes in the village of al-Rihiya, south of Hebron, citing the lack of building permits as justification.

Israeli forces routinely demolish Palestinian structures in the West Bank, citing a “lack of proper permits” - despite rejecting the vast majority of permit applications submitted by Palestinians. 

Also on Thursday, Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians, including journalist Samer Khweira from Nablus, a presenter for the local Hayat radio station.

Khweira was arrested after troops raided his home and handcuffed and blindfolded him in front of his wife and children.

Settlers attack MEE contributor  

Amid ongoing military assaults, groups of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian residents in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, wounding several people.

Fuad al-Amour, an anti-settlement activist in the area, told MEE that more than 20 settlers from the Karmiel settlement stormed Khirbet al-Dirat, assaulted shepherds and attempted to steal livestock.

One of the injured was taken to hospital with wounds and bruises, while others were treated at the scene.

“Almost every day, we are witnessing settler attacks in Masafer Yatta at an alarming rate,” Amour said. 

'I couldn’t believe I escaped without injury'

- Mohammed Turkman, Palestinian photojournalist 

“I believe this is part of an effort to revive the so-called ‘Deal of the Century’ - to displace Palestinians from these areas and push forward the annexation plan,” he added.

Elsewhere, photojournalist Mohammed Turkman, who has contributed to MEE, reported being attacked by settlers at dawn while driving his car west of Ramallah.

He said he encountered a group of masked settlers carrying large stones, ready to hurl them at his vehicle.

“I sped up to get away. I managed to overtake them, but they threw stones that damaged the front of the car,” he told MEE.

“I couldn’t believe I escaped without injury,” he added.

This is not the first time Turkman has been attacked. 

In the summer of 2023, settlers assaulted him east of Ramallah, smashing the windows of his vehicle.

middleeasteye.net