The Civil Administration has embarked on a widescale campaign in Gush Etzion, in accordance with Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich's policy.

During the operation, dozens of buildings were destroyed and many building tools confiscated. The operation especially focused on preventing garbage fires, which greatly harm the air quality and the residents' quality of life.

"The Civil Administration and the Supervision Unit are working daily to enforce [the law] against illegal construction," Smotrich said.

"The amount of illegal construction is enormous, and in accordance with our priorities, the Civil Administration is greatly increasing the enforcement and demolitions. This year, the number of demolitions rose dozens of percent, and there is still much work ahead of us. We will not allow the law to be trampled.

"I thank the Civil Administration for its important work and the Supervision Unit for its professional execution. We will continue to do everything we can to prevent strategic and hostile takeover of the open areas."