Israel demolished 312 Palestinian residential and agricultural structures during the first six weeks of 2026, a Palestinian rights group has said.
The start of 2026 has seen a “notable escalation” in Israeli demolitions and illegal settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, the Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights said in a statement on Thursday.
The centre, citing figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said Israeli authorities had razed 312 structures from the beginning of the year through February 18, affecting about 21,000 Palestinians.
Most of the demolitions took place in Area C, which makes up about 60 percent of the occupied West Bank and remains under full Israeli control.
“Between February 16 and 23, 86 illegal settlers attacks were recorded targeting 60 communities, leading to the displacement of 186 Palestinians, the injury of 64 individuals - some of whom were shot with live bullets by settlers, the burning of 39 vehicles and uprooting 800 olive trees,” the centre said, calling the figures “alarming.”
“These measures constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the destruction of private property in occupied territory except where absolutely required by military necessity,” it added.
The centre noted that attacks by illegal settlers included physical assaults on residents, property damage and preventing shepherds from accessing their land.
It accused Israeli authorities of failing to protect Palestinian civilians, leading to “near-weekly forced displacement” in Area C to expand illegal settlements.
The group called on the international community to pressure Israel “to halt demolitions and displacement, ensure protection for Palestinian civilians, hold those responsible accountable and provide legal and humanitarian support to Palestinian rights organisations.”
Since the war in Gaza began on October 8, 2023, Israeli forces and illegal settlers have intensified attacks in the occupied West Bank, including killings, arrests, property destruction, demolitions, displacement and illegal settlement expansion.
The violence has killed at least 1,117 Palestinians, wounded about 11,500 and led to the arrest of around 22,000 others.
