The Hamas emblem.

Hamas is set to demolish the homes of 75 families in Gaza City nearly a year after a court ruled that they were built on public property.

Bulldozers were seen outside the 40 buildings set to be destroyed Wednesday. Scores of residents staged a demonstration against the decision outside the offices of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

“This is a great injustice, an act of persecution and a forceful imposition of Hamas’s own version of laws on refugees,” resident Hazem Abu Hmeid told Al-Akhbar.

Families will reportedly be given $1,000 each in compensation, and have been allotted pieces of land near Gaza’s borders. Abu Hmeid says the government’s remuneration “falls very short.”

The government, however, claims that the families agreed to the package over negotiations Tuesday night.

“We will no longer accept violations against public property, no matter how long they have been going on for … we want to assure people that we respect human rights for decent living and finding suitable living situations for the families,” read a statement from the Gaza government.

“We emphasize the extreme importance we place on not abandoning the families whose houses will be removed to the streets,” it added.