RAMALLAH, June 11, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli forces on Wednesday forcibly seized a seven-story residential building in the al-Karantina neighborhood of Hebron, turning it into a military outpost, according to local sources.

Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers broke the main and internal doors of the building—owned by Palestinian citizen Abdel Fattah Mohammad Shabaneh—and expelled its residents by force. The building, located on al-Karantina Street in the Wadi al-Hariyya area, was declared by the military to be repurposed for "military use," with Israeli flags hoisted atop it.

Residents attempted to block the soldiers from entering the building, but were physically removed and denied access to their homes.

The Hebron Municipality condemned the seizure, describing it as a dangerous escalation that violates the dignity and safety of civilians. In an official statement, the municipality said the building was inhabited, and Israeli forces not only stormed it and destroyed doors, but also imposed a military lockdown in its vicinity.

"This action constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and reflects a continued effort by the occupying power to dismantle civilian life and militarize residential areas in Hebron," the municipality stated.

The city council called on the international community, along with human rights and humanitarian organizations, to urgently intervene to halt these practices, which it said further endanger basic human rights and escalate tensions in the region.

Y.S