The military has destroyed the residence of a Palestinian who was alleged to have been responsible for the deaths of two Israelis

On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that it had razed the house of a Palestinian man accused of fatally shooting two Israelis – a father and his son – at a car wash in the West Bank, a territory under Israeli occupation.

Osama Bani Fadl was apprehended by the police in November following an extensive search. He is accused of killing Shay Silas Nigrekar and Aviad Nir in the Palestinian town of Houwara in August, during an incident at a car wash that significantly impacted the region.

The Israeli army disclosed footage showing its troops demolishing Bani Fadl’s apartment in Aqraba during the night.

Israel often resorts to demolishing homes of Palestinians it accuses of conducting lethal attacks against Israelis, claiming such actions serve as a deterrent. However, human rights organizations criticize this practice as collective punishment, arguing it unfairly displaces innocent people, including children.

According to a witness, soldiers encircled Bani Fadl’s apartment and demolished it overnight.

The Israeli army stated it had “destroyed the apartment of the terrorist who carried out the attack in Houwara.”

The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that clashes occurred between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers during the demolition, leading to the firing of stun grenades and tear gas canisters by the soldiers, and several arrests were made.

The West Bank has witnessed a spike in violence, which predates the October 7 outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. This escalation includes increased attacks on Israelis and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian communities.

Since the Gaza war began, over 300 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers.

Israel has controlled the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. Currently, around 490,000 Israelis reside in settlements in the territory, which are deemed illegal under international law, excluding the annexed East Jerusalem.

The most deadly conflict in Gaza erupted after Hamas militants crossed the border and launched an attack, resulting in approximately 1,139 deaths in Israel. About 250 individuals were also captured and taken to Gaza.

During Israel’s counter-offensive against Hamas, at least 19,453 people, predominantly women and children, were killed in Gaza.