The Israeli army said Tuesday it had demolished the family home of a Palestinian man accused of killing two Israelis — a father and his son — at a car wash in the occupied West Bank.
Police arrested Osama Bani Fadl in November after a months-long hunt, accusing him of killing Shay Silas Nigrekar and Aviad Nir in the Palestinian town of Huwara in August.
The two Israeli men were gunned down when they were at a car wash, in an attack that rocked the territory at the time.
On Tuesday the Israeli army released footage of troops demolishing Bani Fadl’s apartment during the night in the town of Aqraba.
Israel regularly demolishes the homes of Palestinians it accuses of deadly attacks on Israelis, arguing such measures act as a deterrent.
Human rights activists say the policy amounts to collective punishment, as it can render non-combatants, including children, homeless.
A witness said troops stormed the town and surrounded Bank Fadl’s apartment before blowing it up during the night.
The army said it had “destroyed the apartment of the terrorist who carried out the attack in Huwara”.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that confrontations erupted between Palestinian youths and soldiers during the demolition.
“Soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters,” it said, adding that several people were arrested.
