JENIN, October 23, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces on Friday gave families living in Khirbet Srouj, near the town of al-Yamoun, west of Jenin, one week to evacuate their homes, structures, and livestock shelters.

Mohammad Abu al-Haija, a resident of the hamlet, told WAFA that Israeli forces raided the area and verbally notified families that they must vacate their homes and structures within a week.

He explained that Khirbet Srouj houses more than seven homes belonging to the Abu al-Haija, Abu Sifein, and Yahya families, in addition to 10 sheds used for raising livestock. The families began settling in the hamlet in 1950 and possess land authorization documents dating back to 1960 that attest to their rights to the property.

Abu al-Haija said the order threatens not only the families’ homes but also their livelihoods and risks displacing them. The families depend on livestock farming and agriculture for their income, while their animal shelters and olive trees are essential to their ability to remain on their land.

He warned that forcing the families to leave their homes and facilities within such a short period would put them in an extremely difficult position, forcing them to abandon land they have been connected to for decades and threatening their livelihoods and social stability.

He added that the families fear the land could be turned into a colonial outpost as a step toward establishing a new Israeli settlement.

M.N