In a troubling trend, Israeli authorities have demolished more Palestinian homes and structures in the occupied West Bank, particularly East Jerusalem, in the first nine months of 2025 than in the entirety of last year. As of September 30, a staggering 1,288 structures have been taken down due to alleged violations of building permits, averaging nearly five demolitions a day. This increase represents a significant 39 percent jump compared to the same period in 2024, when 929 structures were demolished for the same reason.
The impact of these demolitions is severe: over 1,400 Palestinians have been displaced, and nearly 38,000 individuals have suffered disruptions to their livelihoods, including access to vital agricultural, water, and sanitation resources. The demolitions include 138 structures that were funded by international aid, raising questions about the effectiveness of aid efforts in the region.
Angelita Caredda, the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), condemned the demolitions, stating, “Families are being stripped of homes, water, and livelihoods in a calculated effort to drive them from their land and make way for settlements. This is not accidental destruction. It is a deliberate policy of dispossession.”
The demolitions stem from a discriminatory planning system that effectively denies Palestinians the right to build in Area C, which comprises more than 60 percent of the West Bank and remains under full Israeli control. Palestinians are required to apply for building permits, a process that has proven nearly impossible. Since October 2023, a total of 282 permit applications have been submitted, and not a single one has received approval.
In addition to the regular demolitions, Israeli authorities have executed 37 punitive demolitions this year, matching the record set in 2023. These demolitions involve the destruction or sealing of homes belonging to Palestinians accused of attacks against Israelis, an act that constitutes collective punishment and violates international law.
Israeli military operations in areas like Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm refugee camps have compounded the destruction, with the UN reporting at least 245 buildings destroyed and 157 severely damaged. Nearly 32,000 refugees have been displaced due to these military actions, and the actual numbers may be even higher due to limited access for humanitarian monitors in the camps.
These alarming developments follow a year after the UN General Assembly endorsed the July 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which deemed Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and called for an expedited end to the occupation. In its resolution on September 18, 2024, the Assembly provided Israel with a 12-month deadline to withdraw and urged states not to recognize any annexation or assist in violations of international law. However, as that deadline has now passed, Israel’s grip on the territory has only tightened.
Caredda emphasized the urgency of international action, stating, “Instead of ending its occupation, Israel is entrenching it and accelerating its annexation agenda. Over 150 states have recognized Palestine, yet the land that state needs to survive is disappearing. Governments must urgently act to protect Palestinians from the relentless erosion of their rights.”
The data reveals a stark reality: from January to September 2025, Israeli authorities demolished 1,288 Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, for lack of permits, averaging 4.7 demolitions per day. In contrast, during the same timeframe in 2024, an average of 3.4 demolitions took place per day. The demolitions in 2025 have resulted in the displacement of 1,414 individuals, while affecting over 38,000 others.
The planning system has been criticized for its lack of fairness and transparency, with historical data showing that between 2016 and 2021, Palestinians submitted 2,550 requests for building permits, of which only 24 were approved—less than one percent.
The ongoing situation underscores the urgent need for international attention and action to address the humanitarian crisis in the occupied territories. As the cycle of demolitions continues, the voices of those affected must be amplified, and the international community must hold Israel accountable for its actions that are undermining peace and stability in the region.
