1. Gaza Refugee Camp Massacres (2021)

• Date: May 2021
• Location: Multiple refugee camps in Gaza, including Shati Beach, Jabalia, Rafah and others.
• Victims: Over 250 Palestinians, including women and children.
• Details:
  Known as "Saif al-Quds (The Sword of Jerusalem) battle" [Palestine] and "Operation Guardian of the Walls" [Israel], was a violent military assault launched by Israel on Gaza, causing severe destruction in Palestinian refugee camps. Camps like Shati (Beach), Jabalia and Rafah were heavily targeted, leaving hundreds of families displaced once again. These camps, which house Palestinian refugees displaced during the 1948 Nakba, had already suffered severe living conditions under Israel’s blockade.
  • Shati (Beach), one of the oldest camps in Gaza, was bombed in May 2021, killing at least 10 civilians, including several children. Palestinians saw this as a direct attack on their right to exist, as the camp had been a refuge for displaced Palestinians since the Nakba.
  • Jabalia and Rafah also suffered extensive damage, with Israeli airstrikes targeting civilian areas, including homes, schools and health facilities. The destruction of homes and the loss of innocent lives led Palestinians to see this as yet another example of Israel’s attempts to destroy their very existence and identity in Gaza.

2. Khan Younis Refugee Camp Massacre (2021)

• Date: May 2021
• Location: Khan Younis Refugee Camp, Gaza
• Victims: At least 20 Palestinians, including women, children, and elderly.
• Details:
  Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza, was heavily targeted by Israeli airstrikes during the "Saif al-Quds (The Sword of Jerusalem) battle" [Palestine] and "Operation Guardian of the Walls" [Israel]. Palestinians see these airstrikes as an indiscriminate attack on the civilian population, with over 20 people killed, including several children. Khan Younis is home to thousands of refugees who fled from their homes in 1948. From the Palestinian perspective, Israel’s continuous assault on Khan Younis and other refugee camps is an attempt to break the spirit of those who have already endured generations of displacement, oppression and suffering. The bombing of homes, schools and infrastructure is viewed as an effort to wipe out the Palestinian presence and suppress their resistance to occupation.

3. Deir al-Balah Refugee Camp (2021)

• Date: May 2021
• Location: Deir al-Balah Refugee Camp, Gaza
• Victims: At least 8 Palestinians, including women and children.
• Details:
  The Deir al-Balah Refugee Camp in central Gaza was struck by Israeli airstrikes in May 2021, resulting in at least 8 civilian deaths, including women and children. Palestinians view this attack as part of Israel’s systematic targeting of civilian areas under the guise of military operations. Deir al-Balah, like other refugee camps in Gaza, is home to displaced Palestinians who have been forced to live in dire conditions due to the ongoing blockade. The attack was seen as another act of collective punishment, with Palestinians viewing the bombing of homes and the destruction of infrastructure as part of a wider effort to undermine Palestinian society and identity in Gaza.

4. Rafah Refugee Camp (2022)

• Date: August 2022
• Location: Rafah Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip
• Victims: At least 15 Palestinians, many of them women and children.
• Details:
  Rafah, located in southern Gaza, has long been a symbol of Palestinian resistance. In August 2022, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Rafah Refugee Camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 Palestinians. Palestinians view this as part of Israel’s ongoing policy to target civilians, especially those living in refugee camps. These attacks are seen as an effort to break the spirit of the Palestinian people and erase the historical and emotional connection they have to their land. Rafah, like other camps, represents a community of displaced people who have lived in Gaza for generations. The destruction of their homes and infrastructure is viewed as another attempt by Israel to force the Palestinian population into submission and further solidify its control over the occupied territories.

5. Nuseirat Refugee Camp (2023)

• Date: April 2023
• Location: Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip
• Victims: At least 20 Palestinians, including many children and elderly.
• Details:
  The Nuseirat Refugee Camp is a densely populated camp in central Gaza, home to Palestinians displaced by Israel’s occupation. In April 2023, Israeli airstrikes struck the camp, killing at least 20 civilians. Palestinians view these strikes as part of Israel’s broader strategy to continue the collective punishment of Gaza's population. Refugees, especially those in camps like Nuseirat, continue to suffer from the Israeli blockade and daily violence. From a Palestinian perspective, these attacks on refugees, many of whom are already displaced for decades, symbolize the ongoing erasure of Palestinian presence and their demand for the right to return to their homeland.

6. Jabalia Refugee Camp (2023)

• Date: January 2023
• Location: Jabalia Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip
• Victims: At least 18 Palestinians, including many civilians.
• Details:
  Jabalia, one of the largest refugee camps in Gaza, was bombed by Israeli airstrikes in January 2023, killing at least 18 Palestinians. The attack destroyed homes and civilian infrastructure, displacing many of the camp's residents. From a Palestinian perspective, this attack on Jabalia is a continuation of Israel’s policy of targeting refugee camps, which are symbolic of Palestinian resistance and the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and the right of return. The camp, home to generations of displaced people, was hit as part of Israel’s broader strategy to suppress the Palestinian population by targeting the most vulnerable—refugees who have already been forced from their ancestral lands.

7. Tulkarem Refugee Camp Attack (2024)

• Date: October 3, 2024
• Location: Tulkarem Refugee Camp, West Bank
• Victims: At least 18 Palestinians
• Details:
  Israeli airstrikes targeted the Tulkarem refugee camp, resulting in significant casualties and destruction, killing atleast 18 civilians. The attack was described as the largest and deadliest in the occupied West Bank in over 20 years.

8. Nour Shams Refugee Camp Airstrike (2024)

• Date: July 1, 2024
• Location: Nour Shams Refugee Camp, near Tulkarem, West Bank
• Victims: At least 2 Palestinians, a child and a woman killed; four others injured
• Details:
  Israeli forces conducted a drone strike targeting a house in the Nour Shams refugee camp, resulting in a mother and child being killed, as well as civilian casualties and extensive property damage.

9. Bureij Refugee Camp Israeli Airstrike (2025)

• Date: Jan 12, 2025
• Location: Gaza Strip
• Victims: Unconfirmed
• Details:
  An Israeli airstrike targeted a house in the Bureij Refugee Camp, resulting in the deaths of several innocent civilians, though the exact number remains unconfirmed. ​
  
  On January 19, 2025, a ceasefire was agreed upon. However, Israel broke this ceasefire on March 18, 2025, when it launched a surprise offensive with extensive airstrikes on Gaza. Israeli forces acknowledged conducting these strikes, which resulted in over 400 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's ministry of health.

These incidents highlight the ongoing volatility and the profound impact on Palestinian refugee camps in both Gaza and the West Bank since 2021. The attacks on Palestinian refugee camps are not just military operations but an assault on the very existence of Palestinian people. These camps represent Palestinian history, identity and the ongoing demand for the right of return to ancestral lands. The continuous Israeli airstrikes on these camps, whether in Shati, Jabalia, Khan Younis, Rafah or Deir al-Balah, are viewed as war crimes, violations of international law and acts of collective punishment.

For Palestinians, these massacres are part of a long-standing strategy of erasing Palestinian life and memory from Gaza. Each attack on a refugee camp is seen as an effort to destroy the Palestinian narrative and further suppress their demands for justice and sovereignty. Refugees, especially those who have lived in camps since the 1948 Nakba, are continuously subjected to the worst of Israel’s violence. The goal, from Israel's point of view, is to maintain control over the Palestinian population and prevent them from ever returning to their homes.

For the Palestinian people, these attacks on refugee camps only strengthen their resolve. They view the destruction of their homes, the death of their children and the suffering of their communities as a stark reminder of the injustices they face. The violence inflicted upon them only strengthens their longing for justice, freedom and the right of return to their homeland. Again, this information highlights high-profile cases in Refugee Camps alone since 2021, it’s near impossible to fully grasp the number of attacks that occurred before this or went unrecognized in Gaza. Israel’s justification for the attacks is the same recurring excuse "targeting Hamas" whilst showing zero regard for civilian life and causing widespread suffering even in dedicated safe zones.

Source:

AP News

Al Jazeera

Peoples Dispatch

Reuters

A man gestures as Palestinians search for casualties a day after Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, November 1, 2023: