Israeli security forces over the weekend mapped the homes of two Palestinian terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack near Havat Gilad in northern Samaria on Friday, the military said.
The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), under the command of the Samaria Brigade, conducted counter-terrorism operations in the village of Tell, where the gunmen responsible for killing Maj. Yuval Ezra and Master Sgt. (res.) Benayahu Mellet lived.
During the operation, troops mapped the home of the terrorist who carried out the shooting. He was eliminated by Israeli forces shortly after the incident.
The forces also mapped the home of a second suspect, who seized one of the soldiers’ weapons during the attack. He was later arrested by troops from the IDF’s undercover Duvdevan unit during an operation in the Samaria of Nablus (Shechem), the military said.
“The homes of both terrorists were mapped in preparation for the temporary sealing of the buildings, which is expected to be carried out as a preliminary step toward their demolition,” the IDF said.
“Decisions regarding the temporary sealing of the homes will be made in accordance with the recommendations of the security authorities and through an established legal and administrative process that includes all required approvals,” it added.
The demolition of Palestinian terrorists’ homes has been a subject of controversy for years. Israel’s security establishment believes that the policy bolsters deterrence and prevents further terrorist activity.
In 2023, demolitions all but stopped, according to an Israel Hayom investigation carried out with the Zionist NGO, Im Tirtzu. However, in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the army has picked up the pace, issuing orders for demolishing a significant number of terrorists’ homes.
