Jericho Turmoil: Settlers Seize Eight Homes, Dozens Displaced

On a sweltering Wednesday afternoon, roughly thirty Israeli settlers rolled into the outskirts of Jericho, the area known as Ein a‑Duyuk a‑Tahta. Their aim? To claim eight Palestinian houses that had, according to them, been legally purchased.

Witnesses say the scene turned ugly fast. The settlers, many brandishing weapons, allegedly opened fire with live ammunition and beat several residents. One Palestinian man was reportedly shot in the leg, while two Israeli activists were also assaulted and robbed during the chaotic takeover.

“We once again condemn all of these violent activities by the Israeli settlers,” UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, told reporters. He added that the settlers “physically assaulted Palestinian residents,” tossed stones, and forced families to flee for their safety.

Those who fled now face a grim reality: most lack adequate shelter, and the Israeli army has declared the neighbourhood a closed military zone. Humanitarian groups say the restriction makes it virtually impossible for aid workers to reach the displaced families.

The settlers claim the homes were bought outright, pointing to a representative from the right‑wing Nachala organisation who said he was “very excited” about the acquisition. However, Palestinian officials, including Jericho governor Hussein Hamayel, reject the narrative, insisting the sale documents are forged and that the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority – a claim that cannot be overridden by private deals.

Jericho lies in Area C, a sector of the West Bank that has remained under full Israeli control since the Oslo Accords of the 1990s. The area is notorious for settlement expansion, and international law regards the 500,000‑plus Israeli settlers living there as illegal occupants.

According to the Israeli‑monitoring group Peace Now, the surge in settler‑led pogroms this year has pushed many Palestinian communities to the brink. The situation in Jericho mirrors the long‑standing friction in Hebron, where a small Israeli enclave of about 400 settlers lives amid a city of roughly 250,000 Palestinians, leading to daily clashes, severe movement restrictions, and the displacement of thousands.

For now, the eight homes remain under settler control, the displaced families are scattered, and the UN continues to call for an end to the violence and for humanitarian access to the area.