Israeli forces demolish five commercial shops on Hebron-area road
Hebron governorate has recorded more demolition and construction-halt notices than any other West Bank governorate, according to the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements.
Israeli forces demolished five commercial shops on a road between Beit Kahil and Halhul, northwest of Hebron, on Tuesday, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
A WAFA correspondent said the forces arrived with heavy machinery and raided the area before demolishing the shops, which belong to a Palestinian man named Adnan al-Qawasmeh.
The Hebron Governorate has the highest number of demolition and construction-halt notices of any West Bank governorate, the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements documented.
The commission recorded 2,697 such notices in Hebron between 2015 and the end of September 2026, out of 9,518 notices across the Palestinian territories over the same period.
The governorate also received 102 notices in the first half of this year, the highest figure among all governorates, the commission said.
The commission's data shows that Israeli authorities carried out 341 demolition operations across the Palestinian territories during the first half of 2026.
Those operations affected 740 structures and harmed 923 people, including 546 children, the commission said.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, and most of the international community considers its settlements there illegal under international law.
Palestinians often say building permits are rarely granted to them in areas under Israeli control, which leaves many structures exposed to demolition orders.
