OCHA: Israeli occupation razed 89 Palestinian structures

In its “Protection of Civilians” report covering the period between February 2-15, the UN body explained that these demolitions displaced 146 Palestinian citizens, including 83 children, and affected at least 330 others.

On 3rd and 8th February, the Israeli occupation army tore down 37 structures in Humsa al-Buqaia hamlet in the northern Jordan Valley, displacing 60 citizens, including 35 children, OCHA added.

This community, which is located in an area classified as a “military training zone” by the Israeli occupation army, has witnessed mass home demolitions by the Israeli occupation authorities over the past few months.

In southern Al-Khalil, the Israeli occupation military expropriated seven structures, including portable toilets, in the communities of Al-Rakeez, Umm al-Kheir and Khirbet at-Tawamin, affecting the living conditions and means of livelihood of 80 people.

The Israeli occupation army, in addition, demolished 13 street stalls for selling drinks in Al-Jalama in Jenin, impacting the livelihoods of nearly 70 people. 

In occupied Jerusalem Al-Quds, the Israeli occupation authorities knocked down seven structures, four of which were self-demolished by their owners themselves to avoid paying exorbitant fines, and displaced a family of four.

According the Palestinian Agricultural Ministry, Israeli occupation forces chopped down 1,000 saplings near Tubas.

The uprooted saplings were planted after the Israeli occupation army cut down thousands of trees in the same area.

Israeli settlers injured four Palestinian citizens, including a child, and damaged Palestinian-owned properties, including trees.

According to the UN report, Israeli occupation forces conducted 186 arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank, detaining 172 Palestinian citizens.

Al-Quds, Ramallah, and Al-Khalil saw the highest number of arrest campaigns, the report pointed out.

In one case, Israeli occupation troops broke into Hebron Municipality, detained staff on the night shift, and damaged furniture and doors.

On 5th February, an Israeli settler fatally shot a 34-year-old Palestinian citizen near a newly-constructed illegal settlement outpost near Ras Karkar village in Ramallah.   

At least 71 Palestinian citizens were injured in the occupied West Bank as Israeli occupation forces violently suppressed anti-occupation and anti-settlement protests.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army opened fire at Palestinian citizens near the separation fence in the east of the besieged Gaza Strip or fishermen working off Gaza’s coast on 28 occasions at least and bulldozed swathes of land near the fence.