Palestinian family left homeless after bulldozers raze home despite court order

In the West Bank village of Ein el-Hilweh, Adel and Kheirieh Daraghmeh's house was demolished by Israeli forces and settlers even though a Supreme Court injunction was in place.

Adel Daraghmeh and his wife Kheirieh were awakened by Israeli soldiers, settlers and civil-administration officials who arrived with a bulldozer to destroy their house in Ein el-Hilweh, despite a Supreme Court injunction that had halted demolition orders. After the officials examined the family’s legal papers confirming the injunction, they returned the documents and began tearing down the structure, leaving the family with only a thin mattress and tarpaulins for shelter.

The demolition also destroyed their belongings, including phones, solar panels and medication, complicating Adel's diabetes treatment. Their lawyer Tawfiq Jabareen condemned the demolition as a breach of the court order and part of a systemic effort to marginalize Palestinians in Area C, where planning rules heavily favor Israeli settlements. The family, who have lived in the region for generations, now rely on relatives for basic supplies while fearing further demolitions. United Nations OCHA reports thousands of Palestinians displaced this year, underscoring the broader context of forced evictions in the occupied West Bank.