Jenin / PNN / Story by Yara Mansour – 

More than 3,000 families—totaling around 40,000 residents—remain displaced in Jenin city and its refugee camp as Israel’s military offensive stretches past 50 days. Israeli forces continue to forcibly displace residents from the camp and nearby areas, pushing them into temporary shelters while demolishing, burning, and destroying homes.

Among the thousands of displaced families is the Abu Qatneh family, one of those forced to flee under dire conditions. Unable to return home or retrieve even the most basic belongings, they—like many others—have had to seek refuge in makeshift shelters such as schools, community centres, and nurseries, which lack the essentials for humane living.

Samar Ibrahim Abu Qatneh recounted her family’s ordeal to PNN reporter in Jenin. Nearly two months after being displaced, she and her relatives were initially forced to take shelter at the Ibn Sina Governmental Hospital for two days before moving to a tent in the park of the Jenin Charity Association. Just before Ramadan, they were relocated to a small classroom in the association’s nursery.

The Israeli assault left their three-storey home largely destroyed. Samar explained that those who managed to reach the camp sent her images revealing the extent of the destruction—the ground floor was completely razed by Israeli bulldozers, while parts of the second and third floors were heavily damaged.

For children like Hamza Abu Qatneh, who now lives with his aunt Samar in a classroom at the Jenin Charity Association, the experience of displacement has been particularly harsh. 

Speaking to PNN, the young boy described his struggles, lamenting the loss of his bed, blankets, and basic comforts after being forcibly evicted from his home at the start of the assault.

Despite the suffering, Hamza remains hopeful. “I will return to my home and my camp,” he said. “Even if we have to rebuild everything, we will live here until we can return to the villages our grandparents were expelled from in the Nakba—a catastrophe that is repeating itself today.”