West Bank, ALRAY - Israeli settlers attempted on Sunday evening, to seize a large swath of land belonging to Palestinian citizens in the town of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, under the protection of Israeli forces.

Activist against settlement expansion, Rateb Jabor, reported that dozens of settlers had placed barbed wire fencing around approximately 50 acres of land, which belongs to the Al-Hathaleen and Zein families and is adjacent to the "Karmei Tzur" settlement. This action was clearly an attempt to expand the settlement's territory.

Israeli authorities had previously issued plans to expand the "Karmei Tzur" settlement at the expense of Palestinian citizens' lands situated between "Um Al-Khair" and "Sada Al-Tha'aleh." These lands are located specifically to the east of the aforementioned settlement. Masafer Yatta has been experiencing ongoing encroachments by settlers seeking to seize thousands of acres of Palestinian-owned land.