East Jerusalem building demolition leaves 69 Palestinians homeless, UN says
UN OCHA said an Israeli-approved demolition in At Tur, East Jerusalem, displaced 69 Palestinians, over half of them children, and families could not retrieve belongings. It was the largest single demolition-related displacement in occupied East Jerusalem recorded by the UN since 2009. The same UN briefing noted water and sanitation constraints in Gaza, where funding and supply restrictions have reduced drinking water for about 500,000 people in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.
UN humanitarian officials said the At Tur demolition displaced 69 people, over half children, and that families could not recover possessions before the structure was destroyed. The agency described it as the largest displacement from a single demolition in occupied East Jerusalem since its records began in 2009. Across 2026, demolitions or owner-led removals affected more than 1,800 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In Gaza, the same briefing linked funding gaps and import limits to reduced water output. Maintenance problems at two southern desalination plants contributed to rationing for roughly 500,000 residents in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Many households depend on trucked water, while restricted items have hampered waste collection.
The displacement may deepen housing insecurity for the affected families, particularly children who lost stable shelter and belongings, and could complicate access to schooling, health care, and community ties. In Gaza, reduced drinking water and waste collection may raise hygiene and disease risks for hundreds of thousands, while aid groups could struggle to sustain services under funding and supply limits. These pressures may shape public health and humanitarian needs in both areas.