The West Bank home of exiled Hamas number two leader Saleh al-Aruri was demolished with explosives on Tuesday by the Israeli Army as war raged with the Islamist group in Gaza.
The Israeli military stated that its troops entered the village of Arura, near Ramallah, and shot at people who were “hurling” rocks towards them during the demolition.
Israel accuses Aruri of masterminding a number of strikes. In 2017, he was appointed deputy to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh before being officially declared the group’s number two.
According to Aruri’s nephew, the action was intended to “intimidate” individuals.
“And to distance people as much as possible from the resistance (to Israel), but these people are steadfast,” said Qutaiba Khasib.
On October 21, the Israeli forces arrested roughly 20 people, including Aruri’s brother and nine of his nephews, according to village mayor Ali al-Khasib and witnesses.
At the same time, they questioned scores of residents and took over Aruri’s home.
Aruri was released in 2010 after nearly two decades in Israeli prisons on the condition that he go into exile.
Since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, Israel has occupied the West Bank, and its forces regularly conduct incursions into Palestinian towns.
Since October 7, when Hamas militants crossed into Gaza and targeted Israeli communities and military facilities, Israel has increased its operations.
According to Israeli sources, approximately 1,400 individuals were murdered; the vast majority of them were civilians, and 240 others were taken prisoner.
Since then, Israel’s shelling of Gaza has killed over 8,300 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom were civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Violence has erupted across the occupied West Bank against the backdrop of the war.
According to the Ramallah-based health ministry, at least 122 Palestinians have been murdered by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the West Bank during the same time period, one by friendly fire, according to the IDF.
