Israeli settlers build new settler road as soldiers loot Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta

Israeli settlers have begun constructing a new settlers-only road while soldiers, dressed in military uniforms, stole money during raids on Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

According to Osama Makhamra, a Palestinian community activist, Israeli settlers are carrying out large-scale excavation work on Palestinian-owned land in the Wadi Al-Asira area, near Tel Ma’in to the east. The work appears aimed at expanding the illegal outpost of Avigal, which is already established on confiscated Palestinian land.

The international community, including the UN, considers these settlements illegal under international law. The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers and settlers wearing military uniforms stormed the home of Akif Salem Harizat in the village of Manizil, also in Masafer Yatta. During the raid, they vandalised the house, destroyed furniture and belongings, and stole six thousand shekels in cash.

These attacks form part of an escalating pattern of settler violence in Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian communities continue to face threats to their homes, land and livelihoods.

In a significant legal development in July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling that declared Israel’s decades-long Occupation of Palestinian Territories “illegal”. The Court called for the immediate evacuation of all existing settlements in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Despite global condemnation and calls for a halt to settlement activity, Israel continues its expansion efforts, deepening tensions in the region.

READ: Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinian school in occupied West Bank