Hebron, Saturday, January 7, 2023 (WAFA) – An Israeli settler today took over around 10 dunums of Palestinian land to the south of Hebron, where he set up four mobile homes, provoking Palestinian residents and leading to clashes.

Activist Rateb al-Jabour, told WAFA that an Israeli settler placed four mobile homes on an estimated area of 10 dunums of land near the village of Umm al-Khair to the south of Hebron in an apparent prelude to take over the land, leading to clashes with Palestinian locals.

The Israeli army attacked Palestinians, who attempted to prevent the settler’s takeover of the land, with tear gas canisters, causing injuries to two youths after being struck in the foot with the gas canisters. They were taken to hospital for treatment.

Dozens of others suffered from suffocation due to tear gas inhalation.

The Israeli army also detained two youths who were present near the scene of the clashes.

The activist stressed that the Israeli occupation and its settlers aim for taking over more Palestinian land in the eastern region overlooking the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley to deny Palestinians access to around 20 dunums of land for the benefit of settlement expansion.

Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and constitute acts which incur individual criminal liability as war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

T.R.