▁the ▁Palest ine ▁Liber ation ▁Organ ization ▁( P LO ) ▁and ▁Israel . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁city ▁to ▁officially ▁come ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Palest in ian ▁National ▁Author ity ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁Gaz a – J er ich o ▁Ag re ement . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁has ▁been ▁frequently ▁target ed ▁in ▁Isra eli ▁military ▁inc urs ions ▁since ▁the ▁Second ▁Int if ada ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁in ▁part ▁due ▁to ▁Q ass am ▁ro cket - st rik es ▁by ▁Palest in ian ▁milit ants . ▁The ▁areas ▁surrounding ▁the ▁city ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁frequent ▁targets ▁of ▁raz ing . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Isra eli ▁authorities ▁bul ld oz ed ▁around ▁ 5 0 ▁d un ams ▁( 5 ▁hect ares ) ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁the ▁Ab u ▁al - A jen ▁area ▁east ▁of ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ' s ▁center . ▁Later ▁on ▁ 7 ▁January , ▁the ▁App lied ▁Research ▁Institute - J er usalem ▁( AR I J ) ▁reported ▁that ▁" Is ra eli ▁bul ld oz ers ▁st aged ▁into ▁al - H ik r ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁De ir ▁el - Bal ah ▁city ▁under ▁heavy ▁bar rage ▁of ▁gun fire ▁and ▁raz ed ▁ 7 0 ▁d un ams ▁( 7 ▁hect ares ) ▁of ▁land ▁plant ed ▁with ▁gu ava ▁and ▁orange ▁gro