Friday demolitions follow last week's attack

Israel demolished on Friday the homes of the two gunmen who killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron last week. Both gunmen were also killed in the 23 October attack. The demolitions form part of a large military operation in areas near the checkpoint, which Reuters reports has forcibly displaced more than 3,000 Palestinians over the past week.

Families forced out, movement restricted

Local residents said the homes demolished on Friday had been occupied by the wives and children of the gunmen before families were forced to leave the area. Local officials said other homes, shops, roads and factories in Hebron have also been demolished since the attack, although the exact scale remains unclear. Most entrances to the city have been closed, severely limiting movement for Palestinians, including people needing medical attention.

A contested operation before an election

Palestinian officials have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the operation to build support before Israel's general election on Tuesday. Israel's government says the operation is a response to the attack on its soldiers, and the military says it will continue to operate proactively to prevent further attacks and protect residents. UN human rights chief Volker Türk said this week that the displacement raised grave concerns about unnecessary and disproportionate force, and about threats to empty entire neighbourhoods.

Sources: Reuters | Devdiscourse (Reuters report)