Palestinians sources told Haaretz that the area in question, comprising around 200 dunams (some 50 acres ), had been given by the Hamas government to a charitable organization called Fadila so that it could build a religious study center there comprising a school, a college and a mosque. But when Fadila sought to begin construction, it discovered that dozens of houses had been built on the site. In most cases, these houses were built by owners whose original homes had been destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces.
Fadila applied to the Hamas government, which asked the residents to leave. When they refused, saying they had nowhere to go, the government went to court, and the court ordered them to leave. The government then began razing the houses.
Hamas halted the demolitions after they sparked outrage among ordinary Gazans and the Palestinian media. But the Palestinian Center for Human Rights fears they are slated to resume soon. so apparently Hamas has stopped for now still and none the less it is wrong to have demolished any houses and it also leads to another question considering that there is an "embargo" on construction materials just how is this university going to be built?
ETA statement from PCHR
PCHR stresses its continued support for the principle of the rule of law, including all legal measures and actions. However, PCHR expresses its grave concern regarding the impact of the eviction of civilians from their homes with the justification that their houses are built on public land. This holds true especially in view of the serious crisis affecting the residents of the Gaza Strip, resulting from the extensive demolitions implemented by IOF since the beginning of the Intifada in 2000, and the ban imposed on the importat of construction materials, urgently needed to reconstruct thousands of buildings across the Gaza Strip. PCHR notes that all legal measures and actions taken must take into consideration the need to enforce the rule of law on one hand and the respect for human rights and basic freedoms on the other. This requires examining the status and circumstances of each of the affected houses separately. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to:
1. Temporarily freeze all decisions to demolish houses built on public land and protect the affected civilians from displacement caused by demolitions implemented by the Land Authority.
2. Reach an adequate agreement with the residents of houses built on public land. This may include signing contracts with the residents to establish that the government owns these lands.
3. Associate the implementation of any plans to remove building infringements with finding a viable solution for the serious crisis affecting the residents of the Gaza Strip in general.
4. Implement the decisions of the government as announced by the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers with regard to the adoption of policies that encourage individuals and institutions to legally expand construction on public land. These policies can be developed in a way that protects the legal ownership of these lands and that protects civilians against forcible eviction and displacement.
5. Protect civilians against any attacks on their property and safety of person.
The provision of houses to civilians whose homes were demolished by IOF during the past ten years must be a priority. An end must be put to the continued eviction of civilians from their homes without the provision of practical alternative solutions that ensure their right to adequate housing in accordance with the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6679:20-families-displaced-as-palestinian-land-authority-demolishes-homes-in-rafah-&catid=36:pchrpressreleases&Itemid=194