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Area C communities forcibly transferred under cover of Gaza war (Last updated: 17 July 2025)

Since October 2023, military attacks and violence by settlers and the military in the West Bank have led to the displacement of Palestinians on a scale not seen since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967. During this period, dozens of Palestinian communities – home to more than 2,000 people – have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Area C as a result of the violence. As of June 2025, thousands more residents of dozens of other Palestinian communities remain at real risk of expulsion due to daily settler attacks.

Palestinian communities in Area C have long been the target of Israeli authorities, but these efforts have intensified dramatically since October 2023. Backed by the state, settlers have established dozens of herding outposts around these communities in recent years. Their primary goal: to drive Palestinians off the land and seize as much territory as possible. The violence perpetrated by settlers living in these outposts has escalated sharply, reaching unprecedented levels during the months of Israel’s assault on Gaza. This terrifying daily routine includes severe physical assaults, settler incursions into communities and homes at all hours, arson, expulsion of shepherds from pastureland and farmers from their fields, killing and theft of livestock, destruction of crops, theft of equipment and personal belongings, and blocking of access roads.

For reports on home demolitions and property confiscations by Israeli authorities in these and other communities facing forced displacement, click here. Detailed reports on state backed settler violence in these communities can be found below the list.

* The list is continuously revised to reflect the most recent information available to B’Tselem.

 

Entire community driven out

Community District Date of expulsion Number of clusters Number of families Number of persons Number of minors
1 Khirbet a-Taybah (Tarqumya) Hebron 07 October 2023 1 10 47 6
2 Khallet al-Hamra Bethlehem 08 October 2023 3 2 11 5
3 Bariyet Hizma al-Quds 08 October 2023 2 2 18 4
4 Kh. a-Radhem Hebron 13 October 2023 2 2 20 11
5 Southern a-Nassariyah Nablus 13 October 2023 3 5 25 13
6 Ein a-Rashash Ramallah and al-Bira 16 October 2023 1 18 85 25
7 Wadi a-Siq Ramallah and al-Bira 19 October 2023 1 30 180 40
8 Bariyet Tuqu' Bethlehem 19 October 2023 10 8 69 25
9 Maktal Msallam Hebron 20 October 2023 1 1 8 5
10 Atiriyah Hebron 23 October 2023 1 2 31 20
11 Kh. 'Enizan Hebron 29 October 2023 1 4 35 20
12 al-Qanoub Hebron 01 November 2023 7 8 40 24
13 Kh. Zanutah Hebron 01 November 2023 1 27 250 100
14 Kh. Tana Nablus 09 November 2023 1 18 135 51
15 Badu al-Mu'arrajat center Ramallah and al-Bira 10 December 2023 4 20 140 90
16 Kh.Jib'it Ramallah and al-Bira 10 December 2023 1 8 25 10
17 Ramun East (Wadi a-Siq North) Ramallah and al-Bira 10 December 2023 1 6 30 12
18 al-Marajmah Ramallah and al-Bira 31 December 2023 1 4 30 17
19 'Ein Harashah Ramallah and al-Bira 31 December 2023 2 3 30 0
20 Farkhah ('Iraq a-Sakhrah) Salfit 12 January 2024 1 3 18 12
21 Wadi ‘Abayat Bethlehem 15 February 2024 1 1 10 8
22 ‘Ein a-Sukhun Nablus 21 March 2024 1 5 37 19
23 Khallet al-mgharah Ramallah and al-Bira 20 June 2024 1 10 50 20
24 Kh. Um al-Jamal Tubas 16 August 2024 1 13 78 43
25 Kh. Wadi al-Faw Tubas 10 September 2024 1 2 18 13
26 Juret al-Kheil Hebron 22 October 2024 1 10 40 16
27 'Ein Duma Nablus 15 November 2024 1 1 16 8
28 Wadi a-Sah'ir Nablus 31 December 2024 1 9 54 38
29 Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah) Bethlehem 14 February 2025 4 5 19 9
30 al-'Alya (al-Jizi) Ramallah and al-Bira 21 February 2025 1 1 8
31 Kh. Abu a-Rish Salfit 28 February 2025 1 6 29 11
32 Lifjim Nablus 22 March 2025 1 3 18 3
33 ‘Ara’rah family (al-Mazra’ah a-Sharqiyah) Ramallah and al-Bira 21 April 2025 1 2 7 3
34 a-Rabi'ah Bethlehem 30 April 2025 1 3 17 12
35 Maghayer a-Deir Ramallah and al-Bira 22 May 2025 1 23 150 75
36 al-Yatatwah (al-Mazra’ah a-Sharqiyah) Ramallah and al-Bira 22 June 2025 1 20 190 90
37 a-Da'ak (South-West Kobar) Ramallah and al-Bira 30 June 2025 1 9 19 10
38 Badu al-Mu’arrajat east (Mleihat) Jericho 04 July 2025 2 36 228 108
Total 67 340 2215 976

Part of community driven out

Community District Date of expulsion Number of clusters Number of families Number of persons Number of minors
1 South Ein Shibli Nablus 13 October 2023 1 3 28 14
2 Kh. Susiya Hebron 14 October 2023 1 2 18 9
3 Kh. Samrah Tubas 15 October 2023 2 13 76 32
4 Badu Jebas-East Taybah Ramallah and al-Bira 27 October 2023 1 2 19 1
5 Kh. Tall al-Himma Tubas 05 November 2023 1 1 4 0
6 Nab’ al-Ghazal (al-Farisiyah) Tubas 10 December 2023 1 1 7 1
7 Bariyet Kisan Bethlehem 31 December 2023 1 10 35 18
8 Wadi Qatunyah Ramallah and al-Bira 19 December 2024 1 1 7 5
Total 9 33 194 80
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In recent years — and especially since 7 October 2023 — there has been a sharp increase in both the number and severity of settler attacks against Palestinians. The incidents reported on this blog do not reflect all incidents of settler violence in the West Bank, but only those that B’Tselem was able to document and investigate.


Displaying 1-16 of 16 updates. An update can cover more than one incident.

2025

February
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah)
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Israel forcibly displaced the community of Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah) in Bethlehem District - the 21st forcibly displaced community since 7 October 2023

2024

December
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah)
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
The barn torched by the settlers. Photo courtesy of the family
The barn torched by the settlers. Photo courtesy of the family
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah), Bethlehem District: Israeli settlers torched a barn and vandalized water tanks
November
a-Rabi'ah
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
A-Rabi’a area, east of al-Maniyah: Israeli settlers destroyed water network
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah)
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah), Bethlehem District: Israeli settlers cut water pipes
October
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah)
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah), Bethlehem District: Soldiers tried to steal a flock and assaulted a shepherd. Other soldiers who arrived at the scene used stun grenades and tear gas against residents who tried to rescue him
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Car tires punctured by settlers on 29 October 2024. Photo: Avishay Mohar, Activestills, 29 Oct. 2024
Car tires punctured by settlers on 29 October 2024. Photo: Avishay Mohar, Activestills, 29 Oct. 2024
Sinjil, Ramallah District: Soldiers denied farmers access to their lands. Settlers attacked, beat, threatened them and stole their tools
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah)
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Wad al-Abyad (East al-Maniyah) ,Bethlehem District: Israeli settlers attacked a 14-year-old Palestinian boy in his home
August
Bariyet Kisan
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Baryat Kisan, Bethlehem District: Israeli settlers stole a solar panel and battery from Palestinian home
February
Wadi ‘Abayat
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
The family’s partially burnt tent and burnt car. Photo courtesy of the family
The family’s partially burnt tent and burnt car. Photo courtesy of the family
Four settlers arrived at Wadi ‘Abayat and tried to enter the Sawarkah family tent, while Ibrahim Sawarkah was home with his wife and eight children. Ibrahim Sawarkah (38) blocked their way and demanded they leave. The settlers did leave, but returned about 15 minutes later with clubs and 10 dogs. The family hid inside the tent and called the police, who promised to send soldiers to the scene. The settlers punctured the tires of the family’s tractor and car and smashed the car’s windows. They entered the tent, pepper sprayed the mother in the face and left. At the same time, a settlement guard arrived at the scene and blocked the way to the family’s home with his car. Soldiers arrived about 20 minutes later and simply let the settlers leave. The soldiers asked Sawarkah what had happened and left after he told them. The next morning, Thursday, 15 February 2024, soldiers arrived at the family’s home in a military jeep, demanded Ibrahim Sawarkah’s ID card, handcuffed him, blindfolded him and put him in the jeep. The soldiers took him to the Etzion police station, where he was held for several hours and then interrogated by police officers for allegedly having assaulted a settler. The police then released him, and he found out relatives had taken his wife, children and the family’s flock to their home in al-Maniyah, north of Kisan, and had towed the family’s tractor there too. The family spent the night in al-Maniyah. When Ibrahim Sawarkah went home the next day, he discovered settlers had torched his tent and car. As a result, the family was forced to remain in al-Maniyah.
January
Wadi ‘Abayat
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Settlers on Sawakrah's land a day before he and his flock were attacked. Still from video by community resident
Settlers on Sawakrah's land a day before he and his flock were attacked. Still from video by community resident
The community is home to the Sawakrah family of 10, eight of them minors. On 4 January 2024, Ibrahim Sawakrah (38) was grazing his flock there when seven settlers, one of them masked and armed, arrived with dogs. The settlers set the dogs on the family’s flock. When Sawakrah tried to get the dogs away from his sheep, the settlers grabbed him and held him while a dogs bit him on his right leg. One of the settlers also hit Sawakrah on the other leg with his club. The settlers then left with their dogs. Sawakrah called for help, and a member of his family took him to hospital in the town of Beit Jala, where he was treated.

2023

November
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Some of the residents came back to the community to check on their homes, and discovered settlers had burned three homes, smashed windows, damaged ceramic flooring and stolen solar panels and a generator.
October
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
The last two families left after settlers threatened them and stole another goat.
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Settlers came with a military escort to a community home, threatened the family, beat several members and stole a goat. The family left the community that day.
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
A group of settlers showed up with a bulldozer, destroyed an agricultural structure and a livestock enclosure, and dug up farmland.
Bariyet Tuqu'
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Five families left. After that, settlers arrived and vandalized community property. Together with the military, they blocked the road leading to the community and declared its farmland and olive groves a closed military zone.
Khallet al-Hamra
Incident(s) :
Incident Count
1
Yusef al-’Abayat’s family left after ‘Ali al-‘Abayat’s family already left on 30 August 2023. Both families following settler violence.
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