Organized settler groups, operating in coordination with and backed by the Israeli military and police, forcibly transferred 26 families numbering 124 people including 59 minors from their homes in Ras ‘Ein al-‘Auja, 10 kilometers north of Jericho, on Thursday, January 8, 2026, according to a B'Tselem statement posted on X over the past hour. Ras ‘Ein al-‘Auja is the largest remaining shepherding community in the West Bank and the last surviving one in the southern Jordan Valley, home to about 100 families totaling roughly 600 people, B'Tselem stated. Residents have endured severe daily violence by Israeli youths, including minors, and armed settlers supported by military and police forces since October 2023. Violence includes repeated incursions with herds of camels and sheep, physical attacks, property destruction, theft, and livestock theft, such as approximately 1,500 sheep stolen in March 2025, per B'Tselem. On December 31, 2025, an outpost was established 200 meters from residents' homes with Israeli authorities' approval, prompting families near it to leave on the morning of January 8. B'Tselem described the incident as the first wave of departures from the community. Separately, activist Hamza Al-Masri reported rainwater flooding Khan Yunis waterways and tents flying in Mawasi Khan Yunis via posts on X during the reporting window.
