Negev: Home demolitions in Umm Nmila al-Ziyadna and Abu Qureinat amid widespread alert

Israeli authorities demolished three homes on Monday morning in the village of Umm Nmila al-Ziyadna in the Negev, while the village of Abu Qureinat witnessed self-demolition of homes and structures yesterday, amid escalating demolition operations and widespread alert in the area.

Israeli authorities demolished three homes on Monday morning, October 19, 2026, in the village of Umm Nmila al-Ziyadna, northeast of the city of Rahat in the Negev, amid a widespread deployment of police forces and bulldozers. The village of Abu Qureinat also witnessed self-demolition operations on Sunday, where residents set fire to what remained of their homes and structures in an attempt to avoid demolition by Israeli bulldozers and financial fines that could reach 60,000 shekels. The mayor of Rahat, Talal al-Qrenawi, arrived in Umm Nmila, expressing his strong condemnation of the continued demolition operations and the displacement of dozens of residents, leaving them homeless. These operations come amid escalating demolitions of homes and structures in Arab villages in the Negev, raising concerns among residents.