Teenagers in the Askar refugee camp say Israeli gunfire left them disabled, while parents describe fear and blocked medical care.
Nablus’s Askar refugee camp has become a place where playground memories are fading, and families say Israeli gunfire is the reason.
Several young Palestinians described how shootings in Tel Askar left them with lasting injuries, with one resident saying he could not even feel his leg after being hit.. Misryoum reports that the camp’s residents increasingly avoid the slopes where they once gathered, saying attacks have made ordinary outdoor life feel unsafe.
In this context, the accounts highlight how a single location can shift from a community space into a recurring point of danger, changing daily routines for families who want only to live normal lives.
One 18-year-old said he was shot while a convoy of jeeps moved through Tel Askar, and that the injury was severe enough to shatter parts of his knee and thigh. He said ambulances could not reach him quickly, and described how he later needed multiple operations to regain the ability to walk.
His story is echoed by others who say they were injured as they tried to move through the camp or return to work. Misryoum also notes that several residents framed the raids as unpredictable, with no clear separation between armed activity and people who are unarmed.
This matters because it underscores how fear can travel faster than news, reshaping where children play, where teenagers go, and how families plan their days.
Parents in Askar described strict limits on children’s movements, with one family saying a young child reacts intensely when soldiers enter the camp.. Another resident said he lost his job after being shot, and described ongoing pain and psychological distress tied to the injuries and what he witnessed.
Meanwhile, community figures said they see young people facing trauma, limited opportunities, and the pressure of life in a crowded refugee camp.. Misryoum reports that the area’s limited space and difficult conditions have long been part of the reality for residents, but residents now say the violence has added a new layer of harm.
At the center of these accounts is a question residents say they cannot ignore: whether injuries are treated as temporary damage or as something that deepens suffering. For families, the answer shapes how they view the future, from schooling to work and even whether hope feels possible.
By the time young residents sit in the camp’s health centre and discuss what comes next, Misryoum reports that the emphasis is not only on medical recovery, but on preventing further lives from being consumed by fear.
In this context, their insistence on “no safety” is a warning about how conflict can turn everyday movement into a risk, and why protecting civilians is central to any effort to reduce harm.