On Monday February 10, Israeli authorities demolished 11 buildings in the Masafer Yatta region, in the southern Hebron Hills, in occupied West Bank, particularly in the village of Khalet al-Daba, with additional demolitions in Maghayir al-Abeed and Jinaba. According to Palestinian and Israeli activits (Breaking the Silence, resident and film director Basel Adra, Peace Now, Masafering), the forcible transfer of Palestinians out of Area C continues.

• It's an extensive and unprecedented demolitions covering three villages in Masafer Yatta as described by regional council leader Nidal Younis.

• The demolished structures included houses, caves, a tent, and infrastructure (including water and electricity systems), some of which were funded by foreign countries.

Testimony of Basel Adra @basel_adra (Co-Author of "No Other Land" awarded documentary) *"I am surrounded by many armed soldiers and three large bulldozers. They have invaded the village of Khirbet al-Daba in Masafer Yatta, forcibly evicting families from their homes in this freezing cold. So far, three homes have been demolished, and the destruction is still ongoing."

Legal and Political Context:

The demolitions come after a decades-long legal battle, which ended in May 2022 with the High Court of Justice authorizing the state to demolish all the villages in Firing Zone 918 in the Yatta area and expel their residents. While Palestinians are having their homes demolished in the Firing Zone, settlers are building more and more outposts (with direct and indirect assistance from the state).

• The demolitions follow a ruling from Israel's High Court of Justice in 2022 that allowed the destruction of villages in the South Hebron Hills to create a military firing zone.
• The ruling was in response to a petition from residents of eight villages located in the designated firing zone, which was established in 1981.
• Since the court ruling, the residents' lawyers have filed several requests to exempt certain buildings, but those requests have been rejected faster in recent months, raising fears of imminent expulsion.
• In December 2024, a request to exempt a school and clinic in the village of Khirbet al-Fakheit from demolition was rejected. The state has committed to giving advance notice of demolitions, but this commitment is now being questioned in light of ongoing demolitions.

Statements from Legal and Political Figures:

• Attorney Michael Sfard filed a petition to prevent the demolition of an electrical grid in the area.
• Regavim, a far-right group, supported the demolitions, calling them a step toward restoring governance.
• Military Justification: The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stated the demolitions were carried out in accordance with the law, as the structures were built without necessary permits in a military firing zone.
• Peace Now: The demolitions in Masafer Yatta are part of a governmental plan to forcefully deport the Palestinians from their homes and lands and to settle it with Israelis. For years the State claimed in court that the demolitions are necessary because in a firing zone no civilian presence is allowed. Now it is becoming clear that the State has no problem with civilian presence, as long as it is of Israeli-settlers and not of Palestinians.