Lajee Center in Aida Refugee Camp has witnessed two separate incursions by Israeli occupation forces in recent weeks, targeting its various facilities, including the aclai Palestine Gym and the daily programs that hundreds of children, youth, and families depend on.

Raid on aclai Palestine Gym During Youth Training

On 27 September 2025, Israeli forces stormed the aclai Palestine Gym at Lajee Center during a training session attended by a group of youth. Soldiers entered the gym abruptly and ordered the coach and trainees to evacuate the space.
The youth refused to leave, resulting in a tense exchange as soldiers repeatedly questioned the ownership of the gym and the nature of the activities taking place.

The soldiers then searched the gym and proceeded to other sections of the center before eventually withdrawing.

aclai Palestine is one of the most important community sports clubs in the area, attracting over 200 members from Aida Camp, Azza Camp, and across Bethlehem. It provides a safe training environment aimed at empowering young people and strengthening the role of sports in helping them cope with the pressures of occupation and difficult living conditions.

Lajee Center Turned into a Military Outpost and Services Suspended

In a broader and more severe incursion, Israeli forces turned the entire Lajee Center into a closed military outpost, after seizing all of its facilities under the pretext of “securing the Jewish holidays.”

The army informed the center’s administration that the takeover would last for two days, leading to a complete suspension of operations and significant disruption to services relied upon by the local community.

The Zahrat Al-Yasmeen Kindergarten, run by the center, was forced to shut down, and all educational, cultural, artistic, and sports activities were halted. This deprived children and youth of their daily programs and disrupted essential services used by hundreds of families from Aida Camp, Azza Camp, and surrounding areas.

A Center Serving the Community… Now Confronting Harsh Realities

Lajee Center is one of the leading community institutions in the area, offering programs in education, arts, sports, psychosocial support, environmental and health empowerment, and more.
It provides a safe and vital space for children, adolescents, and families.

These repeated incursions impose additional restrictions on the lives of camp residents and undermine their ability to access essential services crucial to their well-being and personal development.

Despite the ongoing pressure and repeated raids, Lajee Center remains committed to its mission of supporting the community, reaffirming the importance of such institutions as spaces of resilience and resistance in the face of continuous violations.