Gaza Home Demolitions Stir Palestinian Frustration

Some in Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp say the road project causes hardship to the community © MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
Some in Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp say the road project causes hardship to the community © MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
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Gaza Home Demolitions Stir Palestinian Frustration

Some in Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp say the road project causes hardship to the community © MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
Some in Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp say the road project causes hardship to the community © MAHMUD HAMS / AFP

Ramadan Abu Saif looked on as bulldozers ploughed into his neighbour's Gaza City home, knowing his could be next as an infrastructure project surges forward in the impoverished Palestinian enclave.

Last month, Hamas militants who govern Gaza began demolishing 62 houses at Al-Shati refugee camp as they widen the territory's main coastal road.

Most of the affected residents accepted financial compensation totalling some $3 million in exchange for giving up their homes, Hamas government spokesperson Salameh Maarouf said.

But a handful have refused, instead facing down a move they say is destroying their community.

Every morning for around a week, families -- many of them refugees in Gaza from the 1948 conflict following Israel's creation -- watched as their houses were reduced to rubble.

Abu Saif told AFP he supported the road project but not if it meant losing both his two-storey home and his cafe next door which looks out to the sea.

The 58-year-old, whose family was displaced from Hamama -- now in southern Israel -- almost 75 years ago, said he had been offered around $225,000 for the house, a sum he said was "unfair".

"If they demolish my house, it means the death of my memories and the memories of my grandparents, father and mother," he said.

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 and has faced increasing pressure to improve living standards for the territory's 2.3 million residents despite a crippling Israeli blockade.

Hamas spokesman Maarouf described the road widening project as "vital" for addressing traffic jams that have long plagued the area.

"We held many meetings with the (home) owners... in the past weeks, and there was a positive response and desire from almost everyone," he said.

A community center which hosts a football field and halls for table tennis and parkour is also slated for demolition, as well as several United Nations administrative buildings.

An official at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said "we have nothing to do with the demolition".

The agency withdrew from several facilities in the area "at the request of the (Hamas) government", the UN official said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Kamal Saidam, 51, grew up playing sports in the community centre and was among those set to lose his house.

He said he was "not against" the road project but objected to it causing hardship to the community.

He watched on angrily as workers removed the last of the community centre's furniture in anticipation of its demolition.

"This club is one of the symbols of the camp," he said.

"I cannot imagine being displaced from here."



Alarm in Tel Aviv After Removal of Pro-Israel Officials from Trump Administration

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in the White House in April. (dpa)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in the White House in April. (dpa)
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Alarm in Tel Aviv After Removal of Pro-Israel Officials from Trump Administration

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in the White House in April. (dpa)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in the White House in April. (dpa)

The dismissal of pro-Israel officials in the White House sparked concerns in Tel Aviv as US President Donald Trump’s “America First” sidelines allies and reflects a broader effort to curb foreign influence across the administration.

“Israeli officials are expressing growing concern over a series of unexpected personnel changes within the US administration, particularly involving individuals widely seen as strongly supportive of Israel,” sources told the Ynetnews website, which is affiliated to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

The reshuffling comes amid rising tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a potential strike on Iran and the ongoing war in Gaza.

According to the Israeli report, two senior officials recently removed from their posts are Merav Ceren, a dual US-Israeli citizen who was only recently appointed as head of the Iran and Israel portfolio at the National Security Council, and Eric Trager, who oversees the Middle East and North Africa.

Both had been appointed by former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, a staunch supporter of Israel, who was himself dismissed by Trump.

Ynetnews wrote that their removal was reportedly carried out by Waltz’s successor, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Meanwhile, another high-profile figure expected to depart is Morgan Ortagus, deputy to special envoy Steve Witkoff and the official handling the Lebanon portfolio. Sources say her departure is not voluntary.

Ortagus, who converted to Judaism and wears a Star of David necklace, is considered one of the strongest supporters of Israel within the administration.

According to the Israeli report, she played a key role in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and in persuading the Lebanese government to take a firm stance against Hezbollah and disarm Palestinian refugee camps.

“Her imminent departure has stunned officials in Jerusalem, where she is viewed as closely aligned with Israeli interests,” Ynetnews said.

Officials following the issue do not rule out the possibility that more pro-Israel officials may be removed.

In the Trump administration, they note, decisions often come abruptly.

These removals are not occurring in a vacuum, but rather reflect a broader distancing between Jerusalem and the Trump administration, which appears to be pursuing its own strategic calculus.

Israeli sources familiar with US-Israel relations told the Israeli website that the spate of removals is driven by Trump’s “America First” agenda.

According to those sources, the shakeup is not specifically aimed at Israel but reflects a broader effort to curb foreign influence across the board.

They stress that the dismissals were not a result of the officials' views on Israel, but rather part of Trump’s ongoing attempt to weaken the National Security Council and consolidate control of US foreign policy in his own hands.

This, they said, explains why Trump has left the national security advisor post vacant, with Rubio assuming the responsibilities instead.

Also, the sources noted that the push to remove pro-Israel figures is being led by Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, and Vice President JD Vance.

Ynetnews said that Netanyahu has reportedly confided in closed-door discussions with his confidant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, that he misjudged the direction the US was taking on Israel and the broader Middle East.

Senior Israeli officials said Netanyahu did not hide his disappointment with Dermer.

“Dermer misread the situation; he was convinced the US would never turn against us,” said one source.

“He failed to anticipate the shift in US policy toward Israel. Even now, Dermer still believes the US will remain supportive and maintain coordination, but the truth is, he’s lost his bearings.”