BETHLEHEM, August 5, 2026 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation forces today began demolishing three Palestinian homes in the town of Nahalin and the village of al-Minya, west and southeast of Bethlehem.

Local sources told WAFA that Israeli forces, accompanied by military vehicles and bulldozers, stormed the area of “Qarnat al-Da‘mas” in Nahalin and began demolishing two inhabited two-story homes belonging to residents Ahmad Mohammad Najajreh and Mohammad Yousef Awad, under the pretext of lacking building permits.

The sources said the two homes had been evacuated a week earlier after their owners received demolition notices.

They added that the demolitions are part of a previous Israeli decision targeting 14 homes and structures in several areas of Nahalin, with Israeli forces having already carried out demolition operations against some of them.

In the village of al-Minya, southeast of Bethlehem, Israeli forces began demolishing the home of elderly resident Abd Rabbo Mahmoud Kawazbeh after raiding the village and deploying in the area of “Khalayel al-Qas” east of the village.

Al-Minya village council head Ahmad Kawazbeh told WAFA that Israeli forces forced Kawazbeh to evacuate his one-story home, which covers an area of around 150 square meters, before starting the demolition.

He added that Israeli forces sealed off the area completely and fired tear gas and stun grenades, causing a number of residents to suffer from suffocation.

According to local reports, Israeli authorities carried out 80 demolition operations in July, targeting 165 structures, including 80 inhabited homes, eight uninhabited homes, 63 agricultural structures, and 11 sources of livelihood. The demolitions were concentrated in the governorates of Qalqiliya, where 34 structures were targeted, Hebron with 26, Ramallah and al-Bireh with 22, and Bethlehem with 16, among others.

K.T