Israeli occupation forces demolished two inhabited Palestinian homes in the town of Qatanna, northwest of occupied Jerusalem, early Thursday morning, leaving dozens of residents homeless.

According to local sources, a large military force, supported by armored vehicles and bulldozers, stormed the town before surrounding the area where the homes were located. The two demolished houses belonged to brothers Iyad and Ziad Houshieh, each measuring around 150 square meters and housing at least 20 people per home.

Witnesses reported that the demolition began without prior warning on Thursday, despite the families having been under threat of demolition for nearly 10 years. The homes were jointly owned by the Houshieh brothers — Iyad, Imad, Ziad, Ramadan, Karim, Mu’taz, and Muhammad — and were inhabited by around 50 people, including women, children, and elderly residents.

The Houshieh family’s homes had reportedly been targeted by occupation authorities for years under the pretext of “building without a permit,” a justification frequently used by Israeli authorities to carry out demolitions in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, where Palestinians face systematic obstacles in obtaining building permits.

The latest demolition comes amid an intensifying campaign by the Israeli occupation to target Palestinian homes and properties across the occupied territories. According to monitoring groups, in October alone, Israeli authorities carried out 25 demolition operations, destroying 28 structures, including 15 inhabited homes, 2 uninhabited residences, and 11 agricultural facilities.

In addition, the occupation distributed 30 demolition notices across different parts of the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, threatening further destruction of Palestinian property.

Palestinian human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned these actions as part of a wider Israeli policy of forced displacement and demographic control, designed to expand illegal settlements while tightening restrictions on Palestinian communities around Jerusalem and other strategic areas.

Local residents of Qatanna expressed outrage, calling the demolition “a renewed act of collective punishment” and “an attempt to erase Palestinian presence from the area.”

The families affected by the demolitions have appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance and legal support to challenge ongoing Israeli measures threatening their remaining properties. (ILKHA)