Israeli Settlers Destroy 15 Palestinian Homes Near Jericho

Israeli settlers destroyed fifteen Palestinian homes and an animal pen in a village near Jericho, in the occupied West Bank, according to resident testimonies to the French Agency on Wednesday.

Settlers reportedly caused extensive damage in the Al-Duyuk al-Tahta community, where fifteen homes were demolished or severely damaged on Tuesday. The community is located in Area C of the West Bank, under Israeli administration based on the Oslo Accords.

Mustafa Kabha, a local resident, stated that "about fifty settlers arrived, forced people out, and destroyed homes," adding that "they then grabbed everything, even the chickens."

Another resident, Basham Kabha, 23, reported that settlers beat women and children and forced families to leave their homes.

Abu Audi al-Rajabi, the owner of one of the destroyed houses, claimed that no demolition order had been issued by the Israeli authorities.

The West Bank has recorded increased incidents of violence following the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Approximately three million Palestinians and over 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank.