Tensions Rise as Israel Plans Home Demolitions

Israel's military plans to demolish homes of Palestinian gunmen after a deadly attack in Jerusalem. The incident highlights ongoing tensions and the complex geopolitical situation involving retaliatory actions, such as home demolitions and work permit revocations, perceived by Palestinians and human rights groups as collective punishment.

In a move likely to exacerbate tensions, Israel's military announced plans to demolish the homes of two Palestinian gunmen responsible for a deadly attack that claimed six lives at a Jerusalem bus stop earlier this month.

The attack, among the deadliest in Jerusalem in recent years, unfolded against a backdrop of increasing violence in the region, including the ongoing cycle of conflict in Gaza and a surge in confrontations between Jewish settlers and Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Though Israel claims such demolitions serve as a deterrent, Palestinian officials and human rights organizations decry the practice as a form of collective punishment, prohibited by international law. Additionally, the revocation of 750 work permits in the attackers' hometowns has sparked further controversy.

(With inputs from agencies.)