Demolitions put Masafer Yatta homes and schools under threat

Israeli forces have demolished homes and infrastructure in Khirbet al-Fakhit, in the occupied West Bank’s Masafer Yatta region, leaving residents facing the loss of housing, livestock shelters, water systems and solar-power installations. A 12-year-old student reportedly returned from school to find her home had been destroyed.

The operation has also affected education facilities. On 4 August, two teacher and administration rooms and a storage room at Shaab al-Butum school were demolished, according to Masafer Yatta education officials. The United Nations independently documented the demolition. The school’s main building remains under a demolition order and serves about 60 students.

Masafer Yatta is largely in Area C, where Israel controls planning and construction. Israeli authorities cite construction without permits and military firing-zone designations, while Palestinian officials and the United Nations say permits are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.

Education officials say schools in Zif, ar-Rifaiyah, Umm Qussa, Umm al-Kheir, Jinba, Shaab al-Butum, Khirbet al-Daba and al-Majaz face demolition orders. Students and teachers reportedly contend with checkpoints, road closures, movement restrictions and the presence of settlers while travelling to school.

At Zif Secondary School for Girls, an appeal against demolition was dismissed this year and efforts to secure an interim injunction are continuing. The school has about 250 students, some of whom have reportedly transferred elsewhere amid fear and uncertainty. Palestinian officials and a lawyer say threatened demolitions and movement restrictions are making continued access to education increasingly difficult.