Displaced Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are increasingly falling into debt and living in poverty, with many losing their homes and livelihoods after Israeli forces emptied refugee camps. The Tulkarem refugee camp, once home to generations, has been reduced to rubble, forcing residents into makeshift shelters and precarious living situations.

Hakim Mar’i, a resident of the Tulkarem camp, exemplifies the dire circumstances. Severely injured and unable to work, he lacks funds for medical treatment for a leg wound that has become severely infected. His family, now living in a single, dilapidated room, faces mounting debts and the constant threat of eviction. Mar’i’s mother, Salwa, spoke of the deep pain of losing their family home, which had been built over decades after they were first displaced in 1948 from their ancestral lands in Hadera, now in Israel.

Mar’i sustained his leg injury while working in Israel in 2019. The condition worsened significantly after Israeli soldiers allegedly beat him during the forced evacuation of his family from the Tulkarem camp. Untreated diabetes and other health issues have further compounded his suffering. "The medicine – by God, the medicine, I haven’t been able to get," Mar’i stated, gesturing to his swollen, blackened leg.

The razing of the Mar’i family home by the Israeli military to construct a road through the camp represents a devastating loss of generational history and security. "Seeing it destroyed was really painful for us – all of us," Salwa recounted, her voice filled with sorrow.

This situation is not isolated to Tulkarem. Israeli forces have also emptied the Jenin and Nur Shams refugee camps over the past 20 months, displacing thousands of residents. The loss of homes, coupled with the destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods, has plunged many families into destitution.

Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the escalating humanitarian crisis in the occupied West Bank. The ongoing displacement and the lack of adequate support systems leave vulnerable populations, particularly those already displaced, in an increasingly desperate state. The cycle of displacement and poverty deepens, with little prospect of recovery for those affected.

Families like Mar’i’s are left with limited options, facing impossible choices between medical care, housing, and basic necessities. The psychological toll of such prolonged hardship is immense, with individuals like Mar’i expressing deep despair and considering extreme measures.

The long-term implications of these evictions and demolitions are significant, potentially leading to increased instability and further humanitarian crises in the region. The destruction of established communities and the exacerbation of poverty raise serious questions about the future for displaced Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.