Standing outside her home in the occupied West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp, Saja Bawaqneh found herself in a familiar spot – the same one where her father had been shot and killed by Israeli forces a few years earlier.

Saja and her family were forced out of their home, following a 10-day incursion by Israeli soldiers, backed by helicopters and drones. They were left with only the clothes on their backs, as they made their way to the city’s main hospital.

Besieged, then displaced

After hiding in their kitchen for days, the Bawaqneh family faced a terrifying intrusion by Israeli soldiers. Forced to leave their home, they arrived at the hospital, joining other families who had also been displaced by the incursion.

A city ‘annihilated’

Jenin was left in ruins, with large sections destroyed by Israeli army bulldozers. Dozens of homes were razed to the ground, and businesses were also targeted. Families like the Bawaqnehs returned to find their homes vandalized and destroyed.

Unable to leave

Israeli forces obstructed aid efforts, trapping residents without essential supplies. The camp’s residents, unable to flee, faced a dire situation with no means of escape.

‘We are losing hope’

Despite the devastation, residents of Jenin remain resilient in the face of ongoing aggression. Saja Bawaqneh holds onto hope for her family’s return to their now destroyed home, as they navigate the challenges ahead in rebuilding their lives.