Israeli occupation demolishes homes of two martyrs in al-Khalil
4 Min Read
Palestinians in the West Bank confronted Israeli occupation forces that raided the town of Meithalun in southern Jenin, as occupation vehicles demolished the homes of the martyrs Nasr and Abdul Qader al-Qawasmi in the city of al-Khalil.
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Israeli occupation forces during their incursion into the city of Jenin and its camp on November 17, 2023. (Wafa News Agency)
The Israeli occupation forces demolished the homes of the martyrs Nasr and Abdul Qader al-Qawasmi in al-Khalil, in the West Bank, on Sunday.
The IOF, with a large number of their military vehicles and equipment, stormed the Ras al-Jura and Bir al-Mahjar areas in al-Khalil. They imposed a military cordon in the area, closed main roads, and prevented the movement of Palestinians, before proceeding to demolish the home of martyr Abdul Qader al-Qawasmi using bulldozers and heavy machinery.
⭕ Occupation bulldozers demolished the house of the martyr Abdul Qader Al-Qawasmi in Al-Khalil, #WestBank.
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) January 21, 2024
حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل... pic.twitter.com/wGw3isGiN0
They also detonated the home of martyr Nasr al-Qawasmi in Bir al-Mahjar after forcing residents in the area to evacuate their homes.
Watch #ZionistTerrorists
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) January 21, 2024
⭕ The moment the occupation bombed the house of the youth martyr Nas al-Qawasmi, in the city of Al-Khalil.
Occupiers have used collective punishment extensively, leading to the demolition of many homes and leaving numerous innocent families homeless. https://t.co/VpgFSnQ6JI pic.twitter.com/yVxZzaWoDI
Collective punishment
The demolishing of homes has been a punishment policy that targets the families of martyrs hoping to make of them examples that would prevent others from making similar choices to join the Resistance and seek the liberation of Palestine.
They are also a form of collective punishment, which is banned under international law.
However, the Qawasmi family has seized the moment and turned what was aimed to be a tragedy into a symbol of victory. It has become a certain type of 'badge of honor' that they have offered occupied Palestine the most significant offers, their son's blood, and their home.
Raising the victory sign on their hands, the family of martyr Nasr al-Qawasmi took commemorative photos above the rubble of their home, reaffirming their support of the actions of their son, who has kept in the footsteps of his predecessors and chose Resistance and martyrdom.
تغطية صحفية: رافعة شارتي النصر والسبابة.. عائلة الـشـهـيد نـصر القـواسـمة تلتقط الصور التذكارية فوق ركام منزلها الذي فجره الاحتلال في الخليل. pic.twitter.com/UUEZMJ8RNo
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) January 21, 2024
Moreover, Abdul Qader Qawasmi was the eldest son of the martyred al-Qassam Brigades commander Abdullah al-Qawasmi, who was assassinated by Israeli special forces on June 21, 2003. The Al-Qawasmi family has been subject to targeted detention campaigns and assassinations with over 25 family members killed by the Israeli occupation forces across the West Bank.
Abdul Qader's mother, was also detained following his martyrdom during the tunnel barrier operation that he conducted in occupied al-Quds on November 16, 2023. Her detention was significant given her advanced age. It is also worth noting that following the detention of Abdul Qader's elderly mother, the houses of the al-Qawasmi have been raided a number of times, most recently in December.
Israeli forces arrested the elderly mother of martyr Abdul Qader al Qawasmi after he shot Israeli forces at the tunnels checkpoint north of Bethlehem this morning. Israeli forces immediately arrived to Hebron to arrest and harass the family, as is standard practice. pic.twitter.com/6iBNMVD1XR
— Good Shepherd Collective (@Shepherds4Good) November 16, 2023
Elsewhere in the West Bank
In the early hours of Sunday, confrontations erupted between Palestinians defending their cities and neighborhoods in southern Jenin against raiding Israeli occupation forces.
Palestinian sources in the town of Meithalun, south of Jenin, reported that Israeli occupation forces stormed the town and heavy confrontations erupted forcing the IOF to launch stun grenades and tear gas and shots were fired.
جانب من اقتحام بلدة ميثلون جنوب مدينة #جنين#فلسطين_المحتلة #الضفة_الغربية pic.twitter.com/Tj6aWcBL5L
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) January 21, 2024
The sources further added that Israeli occupation forces conducted detention campaigns after raiding several homes and conducting forced searches across the town. Local reports noted that the occupation forces rearrested freed prisoners Majed, Hussein, Bashar Nairat, as well as Muhammad Osama Al-Shaib after having raided their homes.
Additionally, Palestinian media outlets confirmed that Israeli occupation forces raided several neighborhoods in Nablus, as well as the town of Aarura in the northwest of Ramallah, both of which are located in the West Bank.
In Nablus, the IOF detained Iyad and Jihad Al-Akka, both of whom are formerly freed captives.
⭕ Iyad and Jihad Al-Akka both are freed captives..
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) January 21, 2024
Zionist terrorists continue to hunt every released captive to re-imprison them. At least 7 released captives were abducted last night. https://t.co/tr0fpV70bz pic.twitter.com/d2mXW3u2oN
In the town of Aaroura, Ramallah, the occupation forces detained Birzeit University students Yazan Suhail and Haitham Saleh, wounding Saleh in the process.
In al-Bireh, the IOF detained Muhammad Yasser Abu Awad, from his home in Al-Amari camp, and in occupied al-Quds, Moamen Mansour was detained after the IOF stormed the Qalandia camp.
Read more: West Bank martyr's father slams US support for 'Israel' during funeral
