Israeli Forces Fire Tear Gas During Raid on Al-Fawwar Camp Near Hebron

Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas canisters during a large-scale raid on Al-Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, local sources reported, in the latest escalation of military operations across Palestinian territories.

The incursion, which began in the early hours, saw heavily armed Israeli troops storm the camp, deploying tear gas that sent plumes of choking smoke through the densely populated residential area. Residents reported difficulty breathing as the gas spread through narrow alleyways and into homes, with several cases of suffocation treated on site by local medics.

Al-Fawwar, one of the oldest refugee camps in the West Bank, houses thousands of Palestinian families, many of whom are descendants of those displaced during the 1948 Nakba. The camp has been subjected to frequent Israeli military raids in recent months, part of what Palestinian authorities describe as a systematic campaign of collective punishment against civilian populations.

Local Palestinian media reported that occupation forces erected military checkpoints at the entrances to the camp, restricting movement in and out of the area. Eyewitnesses said soldiers conducted searches of several homes and detained a number of young men, though exact figures could not immediately be confirmed.

The raid on Al-Fawwar comes amid a broader intensification of Israeli military operations across the occupied West Bank, which have escalated significantly since October 2023. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has documented a sharp rise in raids, demolitions, and settler violence throughout the territory, describing the situation as one of the most volatile periods in recent memory.

Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank, and its surrounding refugee camps have long been flashpoints of tension due to the presence of illegal Israeli settlements in the heart of the city, maintained under heavy military guard. Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the restrictions imposed on Palestinian residents in the area, calling them a form of apartheid.

Qatar has consistently called for international accountability for Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians and has been among the most vocal supporters of Palestinian rights on the global stage. Doha has provided substantial humanitarian assistance to Palestinian communities in both the West Bank and Gaza, and has used its diplomatic channels to press for an end to the occupation.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the raid as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, calling on the international community to intervene to protect Palestinian civilians from ongoing military aggression.

No Israeli military statement on the operation was immediately available.