Jenin Camp
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![]() View from the Jenin refugee camp in 2011 | |
Nicknames:
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Location of Jenin Camp within Palestine | |
Coordinates: 32°27′41″N 35°17′11″E / 32.46139°N 35.28639°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Governorate | Jenin Governorate |
Area | |
• Total | 473 dunams (0.42 km2 or 0.16 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 11,674 (PCBS estimate) 13,000–15,000 (UNRWA estimate) More than 22,000 (Al Jazeera report) |
The Jenin refugee camp (Arabic: مخيم جنين للاجئين), also known as the Jenin camp (Arabic: مخيم جنين), is a Palestinian refugee camp located in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. It was established in 1953 to house Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes by Israeli forces during and in the aftermath of the 1948 Palestine War. The camp has since become a stronghold of Palestinian militants and has become known as "the martyr's capital" by Palestinians, and "the hornets' nest" by Israelis.
The camp was the location of several incidents relating to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, most notably the 2002 Battle of Jenin between Israel and Palestinian militants and the 2022 killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and remains the site of frequent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians.
The camp has a high population density, estimated at 33,000/km2 (85,000/sq mi) by the UNRWA. Refugees in the camp face difficult living conditions, which are caused in part by Israeli restrictions. The camp has a high unemployment rate compared to the rest of the West Bank, and many refugees live in substandard shelters, with poor sewage networks and common shortages in water and electricity.