Israeli forces demolished an under-construction commercial facility in the town of Cennata near Bethlehem in the West Bank on Thursday, according to information obtained by Anadolu.
Witnesses said Israeli army units, accompanied by military vehicles and bulldozers, raided the area and began demolishing the structure, which included metal-sheet barracks used for shelter and sheep farming, citing a lack of building permits.
Israeli authorities continue to demolish Palestinian-owned homes and facilities in the West Bank on the grounds of “unlicensed construction,” despite Palestinians facing severe difficulties in obtaining building permits, as violations in the territory have increased alongside the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Since Israel launched its war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinian officials say Israeli measures aimed at annexing the West Bank have intensified, including home demolitions, forced displacement and settlement expansion.
READ: Israel moves to legalize 5 settlement outposts in occupied West Bank
About 500,000 illegal Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank, while another 250,000 live in settlements built on land in occupied East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli left-wing group Peace Now.
Israeli forces and illegal settlers have killed at least 1,103 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, injured nearly 11,000, and detained around 21,000 since October 2023, Palestinian figures showed.
In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
READ: Illegal settler attacks displace 20 Palestinian families in occupied West Bank