July saw second-highest Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes: UN report

The second-highest number of Israeli demolitions of Palestinian-owned infrastructure was recorded in July, the UN said in its monthly report on West Bank demolitions and displacement released on Thursday.

Occupying Israeli forces demolished, seized or forced Palestinians to demolish 126 structures across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

The demolitions led to the displacement of 181 Palestinians, including 105 children, the report said. The livelihoods and access to services, of nearly 2,000 Palestinians were also affected, the report added.

February has so far seen the highest number of destroyed Palestinian structures this year, with 153 demolitions. All structures, except for one, were located in Area C West Bank or East Jerusalem and were targeted due to the lack of building permits, which are nearly impossible to obtain.

The remaining demolished structure was in Area A and was destroyed because it belonged to the family of a Palestinian who killed an Israeli settler on 2 May.

Structures refer to homes, schools, buildings, or even tents that have been built by Palestinians rendered homeless after their houses were demolished.

Israel has occupied the West Bank illegally since 1967, and commits various abuses against Palestinian civilians, human rights groups say.

More than 700,000 Jewish Israelis live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in constructions considered illegal under international law.

The Oslo agreement of 1995 divided the occupied West Bank into three zones: Area A, Area B, and Area C.

Area A is under the administrative and security control of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Area B's administration is controlled by the PA, with Israel controlling security. Area C is under full administrative and security control of Israel.