Since 7 October 2023, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA) has recorded at least 800 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in Palestinian casualties (84 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (629 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (90 incidents). These incidents resulted in the killing of 31 Palestinians either by Israeli settlers or forces, close to 500 injuries, and vandalization of nearly 80 houses, at least 11,700 trees and saplings, and about 450 vehicles.
Settlers attack against Palestinians at the occupied West Bank (Photo: WAFA)
There were 16 other settler incidents during the reporting period that did not result in casualties and/or property damage. In one incident, Israeli settlers established a new outpost on land belonging to the villages of Al Mughayyir and Kafr Malik in Ramallah governorate. Hundreds of settlers accompanied by Israeli forces also entered the archeological site in Sabastiya village in Nablus governorate, reportedly to celebrate the Passover, preventing the movement of Palestinians to and from the area. In addition, there were incidents of intimidation and access obstruction, affecting Palestinians’ access to their farms and water pumps in Ein al Hilweh and Ad Deir herding communities, respectively, in Tubas governorate.
Today (Saturday) morning, settlers assaulted Palestinian homes in the Arab Al-Malihat community, northwest of the city of Jericho. Hassan Mleihat, the supervisor of the Al-Baidar organization for defending the rights of the Bedouins, said that a group of Israeli colonists broke into the community, where they searched four homes belonging to the Mleihat family. Earlierr, another group of settlers destroyed water supply pumps in Khirbet al-Deir in the northern Jordan Valley. Human rights activist Arif Daraghmeh said that a group of Israelis sneaked their way into Khirbet al-Deir and destroyed water supply pumps belonging to a Palestinian farmer.
Since 7 October 2023, at least 206 Palestinian households comprising 1,244 people, most of whom are herding families, including 603 children, have been displaced amid settler violence and access restrictions. In addition, since 7 October 2023, some 1,765 Palestinians, of whom 43 per cent are children, have been displaced due to the demolition of their homes. Over half (961 people) were displaced during operations by Israeli forces, of which 94 per cent took place in the refugee camps of Nur Shams, Tulkarm and Jenin. This is followed by 37 per cent displaced by lack-of-permit demolitions and eight per cent due to demolitions on punitive grounds.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31777
