Israeli bulldozers entered Barta’a to execute the demolition order issued a day earlier, according to the Palestine News Agency. Residents said only eight families managed to remove their belongings before the operation began, while others refused to evacuate their possessions.

Witnesses said residents protested by climbing onto rooftops of the targeted homes in an attempt to prevent the demolitions. Israeli forces later removed the protesters before the buildings were razed.

The demolitions left about 100 Palestinians facing displacement, according to local reports.

The operation comes amid a prolonged Israeli military campaign in and around Jenin. Since launching operations in the city and its refugee camp in January 2025, Israeli forces have displaced more than 20,000 people and destroyed approximately 600 homes, most of them in the Jenin refugee camp.

Israel says structures built without the required permits are subject to demolition under planning and zoning regulations in the occupied territory.

Palestinians and rights groups have long criticized the permit system, arguing that obtaining construction approvals is extremely difficult and that demolitions contribute to displacement and territorial fragmentation in the West Bank.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Israeli settlement expansion, military operations and demolitions remain central points of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel is facing legal proceedings at both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice relating to its actions in the Palestinian territories. Israel rejects allegations of war crimes and genocide and has challenged the legitimacy of the cases.

Mohamad Al-Assi, 27, completed the race through Bethlehem and nearby Palestinian refugee camps after rebuilding his strength following more than two and a half years in Israeli detention, where he said poor prison conditions severely weakened his physical condition.

The annual Palestine Marathon, held for the first time in three years, drew thousands of participants and international solidarity runners at a time when many cultural festivals and public gatherings across the West Bank have been canceled or reduced because of the war in Gaza and tighter Israeli movement restrictions.

The marathon route wound through Bethlehem, passing stretches of the concrete barrier separating Israel from the West Bank before looping twice through narrow streets and nearby agricultural areas because runners cannot complete a standard marathon course without encountering Israeli checkpoints or military gates.

Organizers said the event was designed to draw attention to movement restrictions faced by Palestinians in the West Bank, where checkpoints, military closures and expanding Israeli settlements have increasingly constrained daily travel and access to open land.

Al-Assi, who lives in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, said his training routine was repeatedly interrupted by Israeli military operations in the area. He resumed running in December after his release and gradually increased his training distances, according to his account on the fitness tracking application Strava.

“The main difficulties we face are the cars on the roads and the presence of Israeli security forces along the route where I train,” Al-Assi said.He was arrested in April 2023 and initially held under Israel’s administrative detention system, which permits authorities to detain individuals for renewable periods without formal charges.

Palestinian rights organizations and Israeli human rights groups say between 3,000 and 4,000 Palestinians are currently being held under the system.In October 2023, Al-Assi was convicted on charges related to transferring money to suspicious entities, allegations he denies.

Israeli authorities closely scrutinize financial transfers linked to Gaza and Palestinian organizations over concerns funds could reach militant groups. Israel’s military, Shin Bet internal security agency and Prison Service did not comment on his case.Al-Assi said inadequate prison diets and prolonged detention significantly reduced his endurance and muscle mass after years of competitive training.

“I was emotionally shattered after spending such a long period in prison,” he said.The atmosphere in Bethlehem contrasted sharply with the broader regional tensions surrounding the war in Gaza and the fragile ceasefire efforts underway there. Crowds gathered near the Church of the Nativity before sunrise as drummers and bagpipers accompanied runners through the city’s streets.

Parallel events were also held in Gaza, including shorter races involving amputees and disabled runners in Nuseirat in central Gaza. Participants said the events reflected an effort to restore a sense of normalcy after more than two years of conflict and destruction.After crossing the finish line, Al-Assi collapsed to his knees and dedicated his performance to Palestinians still being held in Israeli prisons.