Yvonne Helle, the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for the occupied Palestinian territory, called on Israel to immediately halt unlawful demolitions after dozens were displaced in the latest demolition of buildings in a Palestinian village in the Jordan Valley. Helle said in a statement: “I remind all parties that the extensive destruction of property and the forcible transfer of protected people in an occupied territory are grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” noting that their vulnerability is further compounded by the onset of winter and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Israeli occupation authorities demolished homes and structures in the village of “Humsa Al-Buqi`a” in the Jordan Valley, leaving 73 Palestinians homeless, including 41 children, according to Helle. “Three-quarters of the villagers lost their homes, making this the largest forced displacement incident in more than four years,” Helle said. According to the statement, “Humanitarian agencies visited the village and recorded the destruction of 76 buildings, which is more than any single demolition that occurred in the past decade. According to the Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Furthermore, so far in 2020, 689 structures have been demolished across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, more than in any full year since 2016, leaving 869 Palestinians homeless.
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