January 2025 Raids on Aida Refugee Camp
The Israeli occupation forces stormed Aida Refugee Camp, north of Bethlehem, three times during January, in a clear escalation of intimidation and oppression policies against the residents.
In the first raid, the occupation forces entered the camp in broad daylight with five military jeeps, patrolling its streets in a show of force aimed at spreading fear and terrorizing the residents, particularly women and children.
The second raid took place at night, during which the occupation forces carried out a mass arrest campaign, detaining 18 young men and subjecting them to field interrogations inside the camp. During the interrogations, the detainees were subjected to severe physical assaults, resulting in one of them suffering a broken leg. Additionally, the occupation forces sabotaged the tires of several residents’ vehicles, causing significant material damage as part of a collective punishment policy against the camp’s inhabitants.
The third raid occurred on the night of the release of freed prisoner Khalil Muslim. The occupation forces surrounded his home, tore down banners celebrating his release, and issued direct threats to his family, warning them against holding any celebrations. In an attempt to suppress the joy of his freedom, the forces fired tear gas canisters at homes, along with stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets at young men, leading to cases of suffocation among the residents.
The repeated raids on the camp reflect a clear escalation by the occupation, amid ongoing violations against the residents, accompanied by a continuous policy of collective punishment and intimidation.
