7 Israeli Settlers Attack Displaced Palestinian Families in West Bank Tent Camp
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 16
7 Israeli Settlers Attack Displaced Palestinian Families in West Bank Tent Camp
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 16
Seven Israeli settlers attacked displaced Palestinian families in a tent camp in Al-Awsaj, northeast of Jericho, after arriving in a black pickup and an ATV, according to the report.
Muhammad Gawanmeh, 45, said he recognized the men because they were the same settlers whose repeated assaults had already driven his family from their home village in January.
The camp had been set up in what residents saw as a safer area deep inside territory under Palestinian administration, but the attack showed the families had not escaped the violence.
The assault fits a broader pattern of settler harassment, abuse and forced displacement in the occupied West Bank, where more than 700,000 Israeli settlers live among more than 3 million Palestinians.
When 'Palestinian-administered' land offers no safety, are Palestinians being corralled into enclaves with no escape from settler attacks?
With ethnic cleansing warnings and record displacement, why has international condemnation failed to stop the escalating violence in the West Bank?
Beyond physical attacks, is Israel winning the West Bank through a 'war of paperwork' by systematically registering Palestinian land as its own?
Settler Violence in the West Bank (2023–2026): Record Injuries, Forced Displacement, and International Inaction
Overview
Since March 2026, settler violence and land theft against Palestinians in the West Bank have sharply escalated, building on a campaign that intensified after October 2023. As global attention shifted to the Iran War, attacks became more severe, leading to a surge in Palestinian injuries and widespread displacement. A notable incident occurred in Khirbet Humsa, where masked settlers abused and assaulted families and activists. These events highlight a systemic pattern of violence, resulting in significant humanitarian consequences for Palestinians, including increased injuries and forced displacement from their homes.