The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) escalating policy of house demolitions, forced displacement of residents, and destruction of Palestinian facilities in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. This escalation is part of Israel’s systematic policy of ethnic cleansing alongside its accelerated settlement expansion and efforts to annex the West Bank and tighten its control over it.

In recent days, there has been a significant surge in demolition crimes targeting many houses and facilities, forcibly displacing hundreds of people, including women and children, and leaving them homeless.  The demolitions have been primarily concentrated in Salfit, Bethlehem, Nablus, and occupied East Jerusalem, coinciding with the ongoing crimes of demolishing homes and civilian facilities in Jenin refugee camp, Tulkarm, its two refugee camps in northern West Bank, which has been under a widescale and ongoing military assault for several weeks. During this assault, the IOF have destroyed hundreds of houses and forcibly displaced around 40,000 people.

According to PCHR’s field documentation, since the beginning of this month, the IOF have carried out 15 demolitions in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, targeting 24 houses, 58 facilities, and one tent.

In Hebron, on Wednesday, 09 April 2025, the IOF demolished two houses in southern As-Samu village, south of Hebron. The first 100-sqm house of two floors belonged to Ahmed Isma’il Abu al-Qi’an, who intended to live in it with his family of 5. The second 120-sqm house of one floor belonged to Fathi Isma’il Abu al-Qi’an, who intended to reside there with his family of 10, including 8 children.

Ahmed Abu al-Qi’an said to PCHR’s researcher:

“In 2019, my brother and I built two houses in Tawal Emhemad area in As-Samu village, south of Hebron. The construction cost us over one million shekels. In 2023, the Israeli authorities issued demolition notices against our homes, so I hired an Israeli lawyer to appeal the notices. However, I was shocked when Israeli vehicles suddenly arrived and began demolishing the houses without notifying us that our appeal had been rejected.”

In occupied East Jerusalem, on the same day, the Israeli authorities forced ‘Alaa ‘Abed ‘Eliyan to implement the Israeli municipality’s order and self-demolish part of his house, along with the foundations of a nearby under-construction building, under the pretext of unlicensed construction. ‘Alaa ‘Eliyan said that in 2010, he built a 100-sqm extension to his original 70-sqm old house, which had existed for decades. ‘Eliyan explained that he had to construct the extension to accommodate his wife and six children. He added that after 2020, the Israeli municipality began prosecuting him and imposed a fine of 70,000 shekels on him. Consequently, he tried several times to license the house, but to no avail. Last month, the Israeli municipality notified him to evacuate and self-demolish both the extension and the foundations of the nearby building, or it will impose heavy fines on him. As a result, ‘Eliyan was forced to carry out the demolition himself.

In Salfit, in the early hours of Tuesday, 08 April 2025, the IOF demolished two inhabited houses belonging to Mohammed Khaled Sabra and ‘Alaa Mahmoud in Bruqin village, west of Salfit, under the pretext of being constructed in area classified as Area “C”. It is worth noting that, in recent months, the Israeli authorities have handed demolition notices to dozens of people in the village, as part of their ongoing policy aimed at eradicating the Palestinian existence in Area “C”. 

Mohammed Raja Khaled Sabra said to PCHR’s researcher:

“At dawn, the IOF raided the house and informed us that they would demolish it. I immediately evacuated my family and sent them to my brothers’ houses. I was not able to get my house’s contents out. My 2-storey house consisted of two apartments and a farm with about 50 sheep, which are now scattered in the wilderness.”

In Ramallah, on the same day, the IOF demolished a 500-sqm al-Ne’ma wedding hall in western Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. During their withdrawal from the village, the IOF fired stun grenades bombs and teargas canisters, amid clashes that broke out between the IOF and the Palestinian young men, injuring one of them.

Moreover, the Israeli vehicles moved into Bayt Nuba village adjacent to Shuqba village, where they demolished a 60-sqm agricultural room belonging to Rebhi Mostafa ‘Assi. Both demolitions were carried out under the pretext of being near the annexation wall in Area “C”.

In Nablus, the IOF demolished Naser ‘Izz al-Deen Reda Masrouja’s house sheltering his family of 5 in al-Ta’awn al-‘Olwi area, south of Nablus, under the pretext of illegal construction in Area “C”. The IOF also demolished ‘Ali Salah Mehrab’s house, which was located in the same area and sheltered his family of 7, including 3 children.

In Northern Jordan Valley, on Sunday, 06 April 2025, the IOF demolished 45 residential tents and livestock barracks, seized 5 sheep barns, and destroyed various properties belonging to five members of the Abu ‘Arram family in the al-Ras al-Ahmar community.

In Bethlehem, on the same day, the IOF demolished two inhabited houses belonging to ‘Asem Basem Mufreh Manasrah and Mohammed Naser Mufreh Manasrah in Wadi Fukin village, southwest of Bethlehem, under the pretext of unlicensed construction on state-owned lands. As a result, a family of 7 members, including 2 women and 3 children, were displaced. ‘Asem Basem Manasrah said to PCHR’s researcher that he built his 150-sqm house in 2021 in Serbala area, west of Wadi Fukin village, where he lived with his wife and child. He clarified that the Israeli authorities handed him several demolition notices without allowing him to appeal, under the pretext of constructing on state-owned lands. Also, the Israeli authorities notified him to demolish his house 6 months ago, but he was shocked when the Israeli bulldozers surrounded his house in the morning and began demolishing it without allowing him to get any of his house contents out.

Since the beginning of this year, IOF have demolished hundreds of houses and facilities in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, displacing thousands of Palestinians. These demolitions have been accelerating, particularly amid the ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, whether through military operations deep into areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) control, in Area “C” under Israeli control, and in occupied East Jerusalem, or through demolitions carried out as a punitive measure.

PCHR condemns Israel’s policy of house and facility demolitions in the West Bank, forced displacement of its residents and land seizures. PCHR has monitored that Israel has intensified its aggression across the West Bank following the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip aimed at creating a new reality in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem.

PCHR emphasizes that this policy of house demolitions and forced displacement amounts to a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits collective punishment and unlawful destruction of property owned by a population under occupation. PCHR recalls the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2024, which has concluded the illegality of Israel’s occupation in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem. By this, Israel must end its illegal presence as soon as possible, end immediately its settlement activities and evacuate all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).