Israeli forces have destroyed eight Palestinian houses and four water wells in the Valley of Saeer in Hebron today, Ma’an News Agency reported.
Jihad Shalaldeh, one of the Palestinians whose houses were demolished by Israeli forces told Ma’an, “A large force besieged the area and started demolishing houses using a bulldozer…threatening residents with guns and telling them to leave their houses.”
Punitive demolition reported this morning in Bani Na'im pic.twitter.com/Gl6wqgHQkI
— OCHA oPt (Palestine) (@ochaopt) August 15, 2016
Shalaldeh said 55 Palestinians were rendered homeless by Israel due to the demolitions, noting that they had received Israeli demolition orders two years ago and attempted to get permits which the Israeli authorities refused to issue.
Israel has escalated demolition orders in the West Bank. According to a recent report published by B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, Israel has demolished hundreds of Palestinian houses in the West Bank since 2006, leaving 6,000 people homeless.
(PC, MAAN)
