Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home near Hebron in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian family’s home in the village of Ad-Deirat, near Yatta east of Hebron, on Tuesday, citing the lack of a building permit, Anadolu reports.

Before the demolition began, members of the family and other Palestinians rushed to remove as many belongings as possible from the house owned by Osama Issa Musaif.

Israeli forces were deployed around the area as construction equipment carried out the demolition, and tensions flared between Palestinian residents and Israeli troops at the scene.

Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and structures in the occupied West Bank, claiming they were built without permits.

Palestinian and Israeli rights groups say Israeli authorities impose strict restrictions that prevent Palestinians from obtaining building permits, especially in areas classified as Area C.

Under the Oslo II Accord, signed in 1995, Area C falls under full Israeli control and makes up about 60% of the West Bank.

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International humanitarian law prohibits the destruction of civilian property except in cases of absolute military necessity, under the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.

Israeli demolitions displace Palestinian families and destroy livelihoods linked to agriculture and herding.

According to UN data, demolitions last year alone displaced more than 1,700 Palestinians.

During the first half of this year, Israeli authorities carried out 341 demolition operations, destroying 740 Palestinian structures and issuing 254 new demolition notices, according to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission.

Alongside demolitions, Palestinians say the Israeli army and occupiers continue attacks that include killings, razing land, and preventing farmers from reaching their land, with the aim of forcibly displacing Palestinians.

Palestinians warn that such attacks pave the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, undermining the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state under UN resolutions.

In 1948, Israel was established on lands occupied by armed Zionist groups that carried out massacres and displaced at least 750,000 Palestinians. Tel Aviv later occupied the remaining Palestinian territories and continues to reject withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian state as stipulated in UN resolutions.

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