WEST BANK — Fourteen Palestinian families from Khirbet Yarza, totaling approximately 100 individuals, relocated in March 2026 after recurring encounters with Israeli settlers. Settlers also removed hundreds of sheep and cattle from the community.

Settler activity in Khirbet Yarza increased approximately three years ago. Settlers damaged agricultural crops and residential structures in the village vicinity. Mukhlis Masa'id, a resident of Khirbet Yarza, said, "The settlers have many means of communication among themselves. When they attack the shepherds, dozens of them gather to intimidate them. Meanwhile, we have no means of transportation to reach the shepherds and try to protect them." Masa'id said, "We feel like we've lost a son. What happened to us is the worst thing that could ever happen to leave the homes we've lived in all our lives, homes we hoped our children and grandchildren would live in too."

After the relocation, dozens of sheep died from disease. Masa'id said, "Now, we graze the remaining livestock in cramped, overcrowded areas like the countryside around Tubas. Nothing we're living now resembles our life in Yirza." Livestock populations in the West Bank and Gaza declined from 1.75 million four years ago to 480,000 in 2026, according to agricultural officials. The Food and Agriculture Organization reported in 2025 that nearly two-thirds of 72,000 farming and herding families in the occupied West Bank required emergency assistance.

In Masafer Yatta, settlers seized nearly all grazing land over the past three years and established 12 new outposts. Nidal Younis, head of the Masafer Yatta village council, said settlers appropriated more than 90 percent of land cultivated with winter crops. Younis stated, "Last year, settlers prevented people from harvesting their crops while simultaneously bringing their sheep to graze on them." Younis said, "They also prevented farmers from ploughing their land by attacking tractors and assaulting the farmers." On January 27, settlers entered a Masafer Yatta village and removed 300 head of livestock.

On April 15, Israeli military forces and settlers entered the village of Jifna, where they removed 180 head of cattle from Zuhair Abu Shaar's livestock pen. During the operation, individuals were physically constrained, and one resident sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. In Jifna, Israeli forces also discharged tear gas and removed one donkey and one vehicle before departing. Abu Shaar, a resident of Jifna, estimated his financial losses at 450,000 shekels. Abu Shaar stated, "I'm like someone whose house is demolished and is rebuilding it brick by brick. I'm trying to start from scratch. This is an occupation, and we expect anything from them as they try to force us out of our land."

Monthly incidents causing injuries or property damage in the Jordan Valley increased from two in 2020 to 27 during the first four months of 2026, according to a UN OCHA report. Israel modified firearms licensing regulations and distributed automatic rifles to civilians following the commencement of hostilities in Gaza. Currently, settlers utilize the Ein Samiya spring for recreational swimming. More than 90 percent of the territory between Masafer Yatta and the Jordan Valley is inaccessible to Palestinian farmers and shepherds.