Palestinians Urge International Community to Help Stop Home Demolitions in Silwan

Girl takes pictures of the rubble of a store that was demolished in the Silwan neighborhood near Jerusalem yesterday (AFP)
Girl takes pictures of the rubble of a store that was demolished in the Silwan neighborhood near Jerusalem yesterday (AFP)
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Palestinians Urge International Community to Help Stop Home Demolitions in Silwan

Girl takes pictures of the rubble of a store that was demolished in the Silwan neighborhood near Jerusalem yesterday (AFP)
Girl takes pictures of the rubble of a store that was demolished in the Silwan neighborhood near Jerusalem yesterday (AFP)

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has called for immediate intervention from the international community to stop the Israeli authorities from demolishing homes in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Minister of Civilian Affairs and member of the Fatah Central Committee Hussein al-Sheikh called on the international community to help stop home demolitions and forcible expulsion of its Palestinian residents.

Israeli police raided the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan and tore down a shop in the al-Bustan area, one of 17 structures, mainly homes.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 13 injuries among the Palestinians, including six from rubber-coated bullets and five from gas canisters.

Up to 100 houses might be demolished in the Silwan neighborhood.

President Mahmoud Abbas's adviser for religious affairs Mahmoud al-Habbash described the demolition of houses and properties as a new exodus and an ethnic cleansing that is occurring in plain sight.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (MOFAE) considered the current developments in Silwan as an extension to the ethnic cleansing against Jerusalem citizens; a cleansing that has been practiced by previous Israeli governments.

MOFAE added that the occupation’s government is exploiting the support of the international community and the US, to execute its colonial agenda.

For its part, Hamas said that what is happening in Silwan crosses the red lines.

Hamas spokesman in Jerusalem Muhammad Hamada affirmed that the resistance is aware of the occupation actions in Jerusalem.

He further stressed that the resistance is open to all options to respond to the occupation.



Hamas Response to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal ‘Consistent’ with Principles of US Plan, Leader Says

Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
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Hamas Response to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal ‘Consistent’ with Principles of US Plan, Leader Says

Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)

Hamas' response to the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal is consistent with the principles put forward in US President Joe Biden's plan, the group's Qatar-based leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech on the occasion of the Islamic Eid al-Adha on Sunday.

"Hamas and the (Palestinian) groups are ready for a comprehensive deal which entails a ceasefire, withdrawal from the strip, the reconstruction of what was destroyed and a comprehensive swap deal," Haniyeh said, referring to the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

On May 31, Biden laid out what he called a "three-phase" Israeli proposal that would include negotiations for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as phased exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Egypt and Qatar - which along with the United States have been mediating between Hamas and Israel - said on June 11 that they had received a response from the Palestinian groups to the US plan, without giving further details.

While Israel said Hamas rejected key elements of the US plan, a senior Hamas leader told Reuters that the changes the group requested were "not significant".