On January 19, Israeli authorities evicted two Palestinian families and destroyed their homes in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Attempted evictions in the neighborhood last year triggered a two-week war between Israel and militant groups in Gaza that left hundreds dead.
Israeli officials claim the demolition of the homes was necessary to build a school for children with special needs. At the UN Security Council, the Palestinian foreign minister called the forced expulsion a crime, and part of a war waged against the Palestinian people.