Israeli forces demolish Palestinian buildings near Hebron

Israeli forces stormed the Al-Harayeq area south of Hebron and demolished the residential complex that belonged to the Salhab family. (Wafa)
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Updated 18 February 2026
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Israeli forces demolish Palestinian buildings near Hebron

  • Israeli forces storm Al-Harayeq area south of Hebron and demolish family-owned residential complex
  • The Salhab family said the demolition occurred despite their legal documents proving ownership of the land

LONDON: Israeli authorities demolished a two-building complex in Hebron on Wednesday, near the Hagai settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces stormed the Al-Harayeq area south of Hebron and demolished the residential complex that belonged to the Salhab family, using bulldozers, according to the Wafa news agency.

The first building was a three-story structure with six apartments, while the second was a two-story building with four apartments, both housing more than 40 residents. The buildings belonged to Mohammed Salhab and his brothers, the agency added.

Salhab said the demolition happened despite him having legal documents proving the family’s ownership of the land and an ongoing court appeal against the demolition orders.

During 2025, the Israeli authorities conducted 538 demolitions, totaling 1,400 structures primarily in Hebron, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tubas, and Nablus, according to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

The Israeli government intends to establish control over the West Bank. It has initiated steps to implement “de facto sovereignty” in the region and introduced measures in February that allow Israel to manage land use in areas administered by the Palestinian Authority and to enable Jewish settlers to exert pressure on Palestinians to relinquish their land.


Gaza fuel running short after Israel closes borders amid Iran war

Gaza is wholly ‌dependent on fuel ‌brought in by trucks from Israel ​and ‌Egypt.
Updated 57 min 46 sec ago
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Gaza fuel running short after Israel closes borders amid Iran war

  • Israel’s military closed all Gaza border crossings on Saturday after announcing air strikes on Iran carried out jointly with the US
  • Israeli authorities say the crossings cannot be operated safely during war

CAIRO/JERUSALEM: Gaza is rapidly running out of its limited fuel supply and stocks of food staples may become tight, officials say, after Israel blocked the ​entry of fuel and goods into the war-shattered territory, citing fighting with Iran.
Israel’s military closed all Gaza border crossings on Saturday after announcing air strikes on Iran carried out jointly with the United States. Israeli authorities say the crossings cannot be operated safely during war and have not said how long they would be shut.
Few days’ worth of supplies
Gaza is wholly ‌dependent on fuel ‌brought in by trucks from Israel ​and ‌Egypt ⁠and a ​lack ⁠of fresh supplies would put hospital operations at risk and threaten water and sanitation services, local officials say. Most Palestinians in Gaza are internally displaced after Israel’s two-year war with Hamas militants.
“I expect we have maybe a couple of days’ running time,” said United Nations official Karuna Herrmann, who directs fuel distribution in Gaza.
Amjad ⁠Al-Shawa, a Palestinian aid leader in Gaza, ‌who works with the UN and NGOs, ‌estimated fuel supplies could last three or ​four days, while stocks ‌of vegetables, flour, and other essentials could also soon run out ‌if the crossings remain shut.
Reuters was unable to independently verify those estimates.
Israel’s COGAT military agency, which controls access to Gaza, said that enough food had been delivered to the territory since the start of ‌an October truce to provide for the population.
“(The) existing stock is expected to suffice for ⁠an extended period,” ⁠COGAT said, without elaborating. It declined to comment on potential fuel shortages.
The truce was part of broader US-backed plan to end the war that involves reopening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, increasing the flow of aid into the enclave, and rebuilding it.
Hamada Abu Laila, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza, said the closures were stoking fear of a return of famine, which gripped parts of the enclave last year after Israel blocked aid deliveries for 11 weeks.
“Why is it our fault, in ​Gaza, with regional wars ​between Israel, Iran, and America? It is not our fault,” Abu Laila said.