By Ali Sawafta JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) -Israeli bulldozers have demolished large areas of the now virtually empty Jenin refugee camp and appear to be carving wide roadways through its once-crowded warren of alleyways,

Israel has expelled the residents of three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank as it steps up a major month-long operation in the Palestinian territory. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said the camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams were now "empty" and would be occupied by the Israeli military for the coming year.

Israel’s military sent tanks into the occupied West Bank for the first time in more than two decades as it expanded operations in the territory on Sunday in a move decried by Palestinian authorities as an escalation of aggression.

The move came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a stop to the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Since the end of the Gaza war, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced by Israel's military operation in the northern West Bank towns of Jenin and Tulkarm, fueling fears that they won't be allowed back.