Israel demolishes homes of 2 Palestinian assailants

Israeli forces have razed the southern West Bank homes of two Palestinian gunmen who shot dead four Israelis at a trendy Tel Aviv nightspot in June, the army said on Thursday.

"Overnight in accordance with government directives security forces demolished the residences of the two terrorists who carried out the terror attack at the Sarona market on June 8, killing four civilians and wounding several more," a military spokeswoman said. 

"Forces demolished the residence of Mohammad Makhamra in Hirbeit Ruqa, and Khaled Makhamrah in Yatta," she said.

The pair, who are cousins, were charged last month at the Tel Aviv district court for murder, conspiring to murder and attempted murder along with a third suspect from Yatta, south of Hebron, who allegedly provided them with guns.

According to the Shin Bet domestic security agency, the assault was planned after a July 2015 arson attack by Jewish extremists in the West Bank that killed three members of a Palestinian family, including an 18-month-old baby.

Khaled Makhamrah had wanted to carry out "a revenge attack against Israel in the name of the Islamic State" group during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the Shin Bet said last month.

Israel routinely demolishes homes of Palestinian assailants in what it says is a means to deter further attacks.

Violence in the Palestinian territories and Israel since October has killed at least 219 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.

Many of the assailants were young people, including teenagers. Other youths have been shot dead during protests and clashes with security forces.

Source: AFP