Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes, shelters in West Bank

Israeli forces demolished homes, shelters, livestock pens and water wells in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

The demolitions affected structures belonging to several Palestinian families.

Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and facilities in the West Bank under the pretext of unlicensed construction. Palestinians say Israeli authorities impose severe restrictions that prevent them from obtaining building permits, while expanding illegal settlements on occupied land.

According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Israeli authorities carried out 341 demolitions in the first half of this year, destroying 740 Palestinian structures and affecting 923 Palestinians. It said Israel also issued 254 new demolition notices over alleged unlicensed construction.

READ: Israel survey: 38% of Jewish Israelis support annexing West Bank, 22% favour ‘relocation’ of Palestinians to other countries

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

On Feb. 18, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israeli demolitions in 2025 displaced more than 1,700 Palestinians.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Attacks by the Israeli army and occupiers in the West Bank have escalated since Israel launched its genocide in Gaza in October 2023. According to official Palestinian figures, more than 1,182 Palestinians have been killed, around 13,000 injured and nearly 24,000 arrested in the occupied territory during the same period.

READ: 47 Palestinian families face imminent displacement in West Bank as Israel cuts water supplies: Rights group