From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 2, 2026
IDF demolishes home of terrorist who carried out deadly West Bank attack last year
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF says troops demolished the home of a Palestinian terrorist who carried out a deadly stabbing and shooting attack in the West Bank in July 2025.
In the attack on July 10, 2025, Mahmoud Abed and Malik Salem fatally stabbed a security guard, Shalev Zvuluny, 22, outside a supermarket at the Gush Etzion Junction. The assailants then snatched the guard’s handgun and exchanged fire with a soldier and an armed civilian before being killed.
The army says it operated in the West Bank town of Halhul overnight and demolished Abed’s home.
IDF troops demolish the home of a Palestinian terrorist in the West Bank town of Halul, February 22, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Salem’s home in the village of Bazariya was razed in December.
As a matter of policy, Israel demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly and severe terror attacks.
Israel defends the practice as a deterrent against future assaults. Over the years, a number of Israeli defense officials have questioned the efficacy of the practice, and human rights activists have denounced it as unfair collective punishment.
The Times of Israel Community.