Single demolition in occupied East Jerusalem displaces 69 Palestinians, the most since UN records began
6 October 2026
Sixty-nine Palestinians, more than half of them children, were displaced after Israeli authorities cleared the demolition of their residential building in the At Tur area of occupied East Jerusalem.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said this is the highest number of people displaced in a single demolition in occupied East Jerusalem since UN records began in 2009.
Families told the UN and humanitarian partners that Israeli forces had prevented them from retrieving their belongings, which are now under rubble.
UN aid partners assessed the families' immediate needs and provided rent support and other essential items.
So far in 2026, Israeli authorities have demolished, or forced owners to demolish, the homes of more than 1,800 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
OCHA said most were demolished for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are rarely granted to Palestinians in the affected areas.
In plain words
OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — The UN office that coordinates relief work by UN agencies and other aid bodies in emergencies.
At Tur At Tur, occupied East Jerusalem — A Palestinian neighbourhood on the Mount of Olives ridge in occupied East Jerusalem.