This article was first published on 16/02/2026 on palsolidarity.org

On 1 February 2026, an Israeli settler outpost was established on a hill overlooking the home and property of a Palestinian family in Khirbet Samra, northern Jordan Valley. Since then, the family has been subject to increased harassment during the day and night, including an attack where settlers pepper sprayed two Palestinian men, resulting in them being taken to a medical clinic. They are also facing increasing financial burdens due to settler cattle trespassing & the strategic use of Israeli civil and military bodies to restrict the families.

In February 2025, we saw these same tactics deployed by settlers against another family in Khirbet Samra resulting in their displacement. The added exposure to the current family means they are at extremely high risk of violence and ethnic cleansing.

The family in Khirbet Samra, made up of a community of three brothers, their families and flocks, had already been experiencing harassment and trespassing recently with cows being brought to graze. Last year in the summer, settlers stole and killed 50 sheep. Their corpses were found with their throats cut on the surrounding hills near the home. The families fear this could happen again. Settlers have threatened them whilst shepherding, severely restricting the distance they can take their flocks to graze.

The increased rainfall this season has yielded greater grain production. The family has 450 dunams of land (450,000 square metres) on which they have planted grain. This is intended to last for this year and the next. Due to settlers bringing their cows to graze, the rate at which this is being used up has been accelerated and the family have growing concerns for the welfare of their livelihood. The restrictions on where they are safely able to graze has also increased the need to supplement with feed, which is also a financial burden for the family.

The outpost means the family are under constant surveillance. The heightened alertness has resulted in disrupted and severely reduced sleep. The families are continually exhausted under the persistent anticipation of settler violence. On the 5 February 2026, settlers erected an Israeli flag on the outpost, followed by two others in the days following.

Settlers are present at the property every night since the erection of the outpost. They shine their torches on the flash setting towards the families and their sheep intermittently every 1-2 hours. They drive their ATV at different times throughout the night. On at least 4 occasions, settlers have left in an ATV at the hours of 2-5am and brought their cows to graze on the Palestinian families’ property, sometimes arriving on foot. The increased activity at night has resulted in the families being awake and unable to rest.

The families have been subject to multiple threats and restrictions through civil and military bodies unfairly using Israeli law on Palestinians, who are subjected to an apartheid system.

On 6 February 2026, the delivery of a toilet stall was intercepted by the IOF following a call from the settlers. The toilet stall had cost the family around 3000 shekels. The delivery driver was forced to return it to the store by the army who said the family required a building permit for the new stall.

On 8 February 2026, Israeli “agents of nature” arrived at the property following a call from the settlers. These agents told the family that dogs without a collar on their neck would be killed, according to regulations. The dogs’ barks always alert the family that there is someone nearby. Without them, the family risks greater exposure and a decreased sense of security.

The situation has since escalated into physical confrontations. On 10 February 2026 settlers came down from the outpost to confront the family. They flashed torches at the family, who had come to stand between the settlers and the sheep pen. Settlers were especially confrontational with the older men in the family and a male international activist, getting close to their faces to yell – phrases included, “speak Hebrew, this isn’t Palestine”. The confrontation escalated to two settlers using pepper spray to attack two male Palestinians who were later taken to a clinic for urgent medical attention. One of the Palestinian men affected was forcibly displaced from the area last year. Those standing nearby were also affected, including an older son of a Palestinian man and an international activist. Settlers ran back to the outpost following the attack and have remained on the families’ property.