IDF razes buildings near site of deadly shooting amid continued ...

IDF razes buildings near site of deadly shooting amid continued operation in Hebron

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Buildings and structures near the site of Friday’s deadly shooting attack at the northern entrance to the West Bank city of Hebron were razed by Israeli authorities over the weekend.

The structures were illegally built in Israeli-controlled Area C of the West Bank, where Israel has not given Palestinians building permits in years.

The army says the sites are being removed because they are illegal and due to the “security risks that they may pose.” In Friday’s attack, the two Palestinian gunmen used buildings near a temporary IDF checkpoint as cover to open fire on soldiers.

Meanwhile, troops are operating in Hebron in the neighborhood where the two gunmen, Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, lived. According to IDF assessments, some 2,000 residents of the area are members of the Jaaba clan, which it says is affiliated with Hamas.

The IDF says civilians who “requested to evacuate” were allowed to leave the area temporarily through designated checkpoints after a security screening.

So far, the army says troops have scanned some 200 sites in Hebron and apprehended 10 suspects for questioning.

The Times of Israel Community.