Published TUESDAY August 5, 2025: 'No Mans Land: WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS' by ZUMA Press award winning dpa photo-journalist Ilia Yefimovich: Palestinian communities are being displaced and dispersed across the occupied West Bank as settler violence, backed by Israeli authorities, forces families from their land. One community has already been emptied. The International Court of Justice recently declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN also considers all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory illegal and has repeatedly warned that their expansion erodes the viability of a two-state solution. Since the start of Israel's current war on the Gaza Strip, launched in response to Hamas deadly cross border attack, at least 1,013 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers. The UN has recorded an average of four settler attacks per day in 2025. In many cases, Israeli forces are present during the attacks and fail to intervene. Settler violence, the spread of illegal outposts are rendering life unviable for Palestinians. Welcome to 'No Mans Land: WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS'
© zReportage.com Issue #999 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY August 5, 2025: 'No Mans Land: WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS' by ZUMA Press award winning dpa photo-journalist Ilia Yefimovich: Palestinian communities are being displaced and dispersed across the occupied West Bank as settler violence, backed by Israeli authorities, forces families from their land. One community has already been emptied. The International Court of Justice recently declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN also considers all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory illegal and has repeatedly warned that their expansion erodes the viability of a two-state solution. Since the start of Israel's current war on the Gaza Strip, launched in response to Hamas deadly cross border attack, at least 1,013 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers. The UN has recorded an average of four settler attacks per day in 2025. In many cases, Israeli forces are present during the attacks and fail to intervene. Settler violence, the spread of illegal outposts are rendering life unviable for Palestinians. Welcome to 'No Mans Land: WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS'
Relatives mourn during the funeral of Lutfi Sabri Bairat, Murshid Nawwaf Hamayel and Mohammad Qaher Al-Naji, who were killed during an attack by Israeli right-wing settlers and intervention by the Israeli military in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik. Three Palestinians were shot dead and seven others were injured during the attack.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Relatives carry the bodies of Lutfi Sabri Bairat, Murshid Nawwaf Hamayel and Mohammad Qaher Al-Naji, who were killed during an attack by Israeli right-wing settlers and intervention by the Israeli military, through the crowd of mourners during their funeral in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik. Three Palestinians were shot dead and seven others were injured during the attack.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Relatives mourn during the funeral of Lutfi Sabri Bairat, Murshid Nawwaf Hamayel and Mohammad Qaher Al-Naji, who were killed during an attack by Israeli right-wing settlers and intervention by the Israeli military in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik. Three Palestinians were shot dead and seven others were injured during the attack.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Relatives mourn over the body of one of the three Palestinians Lutfi Sabri Bairat, Murshid Nawwaf Hamayel and Mohammad Qaher Al-Naji, who were killed during an attack by Israeli right-wing settlers and intervention by the Israeli military, during their funeral in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
A Palestinian child peers through a wire fence during a gathering at the community of Umm Al-Khair near Hebron, to pay respects and mourn the killing of Awdah Al-Hathaleen, who was shot by an Israeli right-wing settler the previous day.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
The road to the village of Khillet al-Dab'a, one of the 12 communities of the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron, after Israeli military demolished most of the hamlet.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
A young Palestinian shepherd boy kisses a baby goat at Khillet al-Dab'a, one of the 12 communities of the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron, after Israeli military demolished most of the hamlet.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinians sit on what is left of their partially demolished home in Khillet al-Dab'a, one of the 12 communities of the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron, after the Israeli military demolished most of buildings in the hamlet.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
One of the co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary ''No Other Land'' BASEL ADRA stands in the village of Suya. On August 2nd, Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian activist and journalist who helped make the documentary was shot and killed by Israeli settlers in the south Hebron hills.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
A Palestinian shepherd tends to his flock of sheep at the village of Susya. The shepherds were already under pressure from Israeli settlers. The outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas did nothing to improve their situation.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
A Palestinian shepherd at the village of Susya. One of the co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary ''No Other Land,'' Hamdan Ballal, who lives in the village, was attacked by Israeli settlers and arrested the previous night and was eventually freed.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinians sit on the ruins of their demolished houses in Khillet al-Dab'a, one of the 12 communities of the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron, after the Israeli military destroyed most of the hamlet.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli right-wing settlers throw stones towards Palestinian villagers during an attack on the West Bank village of Turmusaya. Palestinian communities are being displaced and dispersed across the occupied West Bank as settler violence, backed by Israeli authorities, forces families from their land.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinian properties lay damaged and burning in the village of Maghayer Al-Dir following Israeli settler attacks.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinian residents collect and pack their belongings into the back of a truck as they depart their village of Maghayer Al-Dir following Israeli settler attacks.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinians put out a grass fire during an attack by Israeli right-wing settlers on the West Bank village of Turmusaya.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
A Palestinian villager stands at his partially-dismantled house in the village of Mu'arrajat, after Israeli right-wing settlers took control of the area forcing the Palestinian community to leave.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Palestinian villagers dismantle their houses in the Palestinian village of Mu'arrajat, after Israeli right-wing settlers took control of the area forcing them to leave.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Displaced Palestinian villagers, who were forced to leave their community of Mu'arrajat, are seen at makeshift homes on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Jericho. The inhabitants of Mu'arrajat abandoned the village after Israeli right-wing settlers took control of the area following violent clashes.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
An Israeli right wing settler with her belongings on the ground at the illegal outpost 'Tzur Harel', that was destroyed earlier by the IDF in the West Bank area near Ramallah.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli right wing settlers rebuild the illegal outpost 'Tzur Harel', that was destroyed earlier by the IDF in the West Bank area near Ramallah.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli right wing settlers swim in the Ein Samiyah spring near the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik in the occupied West Bank. The waters feed the pumping station and is one of the biggest springs in this area supplying Palestinian villages with water.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli Defense Forces raid the mourning tent where Palestinians of Umm Al-Khair community gathered to honor the memory of Awdah Al-Hathaleen, who was shot by an Israeli right-wing settler the previous day.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli Defense Forces arrest a female activist as they raid the mourning tent where Palestinians of Umm Al-Khair community gathered to honor the memory of Awdah Al-Hathaleen, who was shot by an Israeli right-wing settler the previous day in the West Bank.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli man walks with a young boy while carrying a machine gun, as right-wing settlers gather on the border with Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
Israeli right-wing settlers gather on the border with Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
© Ilia Yefimovich/dpa via ZUMA Press
