HEBRON, February. 10, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli colonists on Tuesday seized a number of caves in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, and established a presence there as part of plans to set up a new pastoral settlement, a move that would encroach upon vast areas of Masafer Yatta lands.

Media activist Osama Makhamreh reported that a group of colonists occupied several caves in the area, belonging to the al-Hammamdeh and al-Atayreh families, and settled there with their sheep, which they released onto Palestinian residents’ lands cultivated with trees and crops.

The seized caves are located near the road linking the villages and hamlets of Masafer Yatta that are threatened with forcible displacement with the said hamlet.

Residents voiced concerns over a potential escalation of attacks in Masafer Yatta and the further appropriation of their lands, as part of the occupation’s ongoing plan to expand pastoral settlement activity in the area.

T.R.