Israeli forces blow up houses of two Palestinian martyrs in Al-Khalil

An Israeli military unit, accompanied by heavy machinery, invaded the Ras al-Joura and Bir al-Mahjar neighborhood in Hebron. He said the forces imposed a military cordon in the area, closed major roads, and restricted the movement of civilians.

Subsequently, the forces proceeded to demolish the home of the martyr Abdul Qader using bulldozers and heavy machinery. They also detonated the home of the martyr Nasr al-Qawasmi after forcing residents in the area to evacuate their homes.

The Israeli occupation forces had previously taken measurements of the homes of the martyrs Abdul Qader and Nasr al-Qawasmi at the end of last month in preparation for their punitive demolition.

Of note, the two Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire at the military checkpoint of An-Nafaq located south of occupied Jerusalem on November 16 last year.

Israeli occupation authorities have long used to punitively demolish the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out attacks on Israelis, a policy that Israel does not apply to Israeli settlers who are involved in fatal attacks against Palestinians.

The policy has been widely condemned by human rights groups as a collective punishment and a war crime.

B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, says: “The people who bear the brunt of the [punitive] demolitions are relatives – including women, the elderly, and children – whom Israel does not suspect of involvement in any offense.”

“In the vast majority of cases, the person whose actions prompted the demolition was not even living in the house at the time of the demolition,” adds the group.