Israeli settlers seize 8 Palestinian homes in Jericho, displacing dozens

What the report says

The United Nations said Israeli settlers took over eight Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, forcing dozens of residents to leave. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the incident took place on Wednesday in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta on the outskirts of Jericho, and UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said settlers reportedly used live ammunition, assaulted residents and threw stones as families fled for safety.

The report says around 30 settlers were involved, citing the Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now. The group alleged that settlers assaulted and robbed two Israeli activists and shot a Palestinian man in the leg during the takeover. Some displaced families were said to be without adequate shelter, while the Israeli military later declared the area a closed military zone, limiting access for humanitarian workers.

A settler representative told AFP that the homes were bought through Nachala, a right-wing Israeli organization that promotes settlement expansion and annexation of the West Bank. Palestinian officials rejected that account, saying the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and that the documents presented were forged.

The episode fits into a broader pattern of escalating settler violence in the West Bank, which Al Jazeera says has intensified this year. The article notes that Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and that settlements there are considered illegal under international law.