Israeli forces demolish homes and school rooms in Masafer Yatta

September 12, 2026 at 02:53 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Israeli forces demolished homes, livestock shelters, water infrastructure, and solar-power installations in Khirbet al-Fakhit, Masafer Yatta, on Tuesday. A 12-year-old student returned from school to find her house destroyed. The demolition follows an August 4 operation that destroyed two rooms at Shaab al-Butum school.

Key Facts

Israeli forces demolished homes, livestock shelters, water infrastructure, and solar-power installations in Khirbet al-Fakhit on Tuesday.
On August 4, Israeli forces demolished two rooms used by teachers and administrators at Shaab al-Butum school.
Shaab al-Butum school serves about 60 students from kindergarten through 11th grade.
The main building of Shaab al-Butum school remains under a demolition order.

Demolition in Khirbet al-Fakhit

On Tuesday morning, 12-year-old Sundus al-Hamamdeh left her home in Khirbet al-Fakhit for the third day of the new school year. When she returned from al-Fakhit Secondary School, her house had been destroyed in a large-scale Israeli demolition operation. The operation destroyed homes, livestock shelters, water infrastructure, and solar-power installations. Much of Masafer Yatta lies in Area C of the West Bank, where Israel controls planning and construction. Israeli authorities say the structures were built without permits; Palestinians and the UN say such permits are nearly impossible to obtain.

Shaab al-Butum School

On August 4, Israeli forces surrounded Shaab al-Butum school, according to Bassam Jabr, director-general of education in Masafer Yatta. An Israeli military bulldozer demolished two rooms used by teachers and administrators, plus a storage room. The UN documented the demolition, saying Israeli authorities cited the lack of an Israeli-issued building permit. The school, established in 2015, serves about 60 students from kindergarten through 11th grade. Education officials have appealed to Israeli courts and called on the UN and foreign governments to intervene, but the main school building remains under a demolition order.

Targeting of Masafer Yatta

Masafer Yatta is especially targeted amid ongoing Israeli military operations and settler violence across the West Bank. The Israeli military has designated large parts of the area a military firing zone, which Palestinians say is used to force out the population. Palestinians argue that schools are targeted because they allow families to remain in the remote communities.