Israeli forces on Saturday blew up the house of a Palestinian accused of carrying out a shooting attack in Jerusalem that killed six people, a Palestinian official said.
The two-storey house of Muthanna Amro was blown up at dawn in Al-Qubaybah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the town’s mayor Nafiz Hamouda said.
When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said that soldiers and police had operated overnight in Al-Qubaybah and “demolished the residence” of Amro.
AFP footage showed explosives ripping through the house, leaving two gaping holes and piles of debris inside.
Hamouda said the military had notified residents 10 days earlier of its intention to demolish the property.
“Last night they came, and at dawn today the house was blown up,” he said.
The blast also caused significant damage to four or five neighbouring houses, Hamouda said.
“This is the nature of the occupation. It does not stop at harming one individual, but seeks to inflict damage on as many citizens as possible,” he added.
Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported that a large military force stormed the town, surrounded the house and evacuated nearby residents before blowing up the building.
Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, regularly destroys the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out attacks against Israelis.
The government argues that the demolitions serve as a deterrent, but critics denounce them as collective punishment that leaves families homeless.
Amro and another suspected assailant, Mohammed Taha, were shot dead by a security officer and armed civilian after they allegedly carried out a shooting at a bus stop in Jerusalem on September 8.
The attack, which left six people dead, was later claimed by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023 following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Since then, Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 983 Palestinians in the West Bank, including many militants, according to health ministry figures.
Over the same period, at least 36 Israelis, including members of security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official figures.
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© Agence France-Presse
