Three years after Bedouin hero rescued 30 people on Oct. 7, Israel destroyed his family’s homes

Three years after Youssef Ziadna saved 30 Israelis during the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, Israel has demolished the homes of members of Ziadna's Bedouin family in the unrecognized village of al-Ziadna. The village, home to about 5,000 residents, is near the southern Arab-Israeli city of Rahat. Ziadna, who received Israel's highest civilian honor for bravery after the rescue, expressed that the government's crackdown on illegal construction made his recognition feel empty, stating, "In the end, you're still an Arab."

The Bedouin illegal or unrecognized villages in the Negev date back to before Israeli statehood, with an estimated 90,000 Bedouins living in dozens of unrecognized villages across the region. Many of them lack reliable running water, electricity, paved roads, or sewage systems, and their homes are vulnerable to demolition as they are deemed illegal by the state.

Bedouin communities have struggled for decades to gain official recognition and authorization for construction due to bureaucratic obstacles and disputes over land ownership.

The demolitions in al-Ziadna are part of an intensified enforcement campaign led by the Netanyahu government, with support from extreme-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The Israeli officials have shown little sympathy for Ziadna's family, who endured devastating losses during the Oct. 7 attack - including the abduction of Ziadna's cousin and two children, and the killing of the child's father and brother in captivity.

Despite previous appeals, demolition orders for five more homes in al-Ziadna were posted, including that of Aatef al-Ziadna, whose son was murdered by Hamas at Zikim beach on Oct. 7. Ziadna's family has expressed their desperation and plans to mobilize their community through voting.