Israeli forces demolish shops in raids near occupied East Jerusalem

Commercial premises among buildings facing demolition as military incursions intensify near Qalandiya and Kafr Aqab.Published On 23 Dec 2025Israeli forces have begun demolishing shops in the vicinity of the Qalandiya refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem, as part of a wider military incursion across several Palestinian neighbourhoods, witnesses and medical officials say.The raids, which began early on Tuesday, have extended into the nearby town of Kafr Aqab, where Israeli troops deployed in large numbers, carried out house searches and forcibly evicted residents from their homes, according to local media reports.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump, Mamdani merchandise compete for Christmas shopperslist 2 of 3Photos: Ukraine deploys low-cost drones to counter Russia’s aerial attackslist 3 of 3Israel will never fully withdraw from Gaza, defence minister saysend of listThe Palestine Red Crescent Society said its medical teams treated at least three people injured during the raids in Qalandiya and Kafr Aqab. The injuries included a bullet wound to the thigh, wounds caused by shrapnel from live ammunition, and injuries resulting from physical assault.The Jerusalem governorate reported that at least three Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces’ gunfire, in addition to dozens of cases of suffocation caused by the firing of tear gas and stun grenades, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.Several Palestinians were detained during the large-scale incursion that was also accompanied by the deployment of military vehicles and bulldozers.Among those arrested are Anan Mohammed Taha and his father, Mohammed Taha, residents of the Qalandiya refugee camp, Wafa said.‘Intimidation’ and ‘anxiety’Residents said Israeli forces ordered several families to evacuate their homes, with at least three houses converted into temporary military outposts in Kafr Aqab. Homeowners were reportedly told the operation would continue until at least Wednesday morning.