"Tonight, settlers and soldiers jointly invaded the village of Halawa, located in an area designated by the apartheid regime as "Firing Zone 918." The militia carried out "raids" on sheep pens, homes, and caves, while imposing a curfew on the residents.

One resident was assaulted — his car windows were smashed and the tires slashed. The militia also stole money and his ID card. The attackers tore open the family’s flour sacks in their storage room, smashed their hens’ eggs, and left behind extensive damage."

Context: Halawa and Masafer Yatta

Halawa (also spelled Khirbet al-Halawa) is one of 19 Palestinian hamlets located in the Masafer Yatta region in the southern Hebron Hills of the occupied West Bank. This area is at the heart of a prolonged conflict related to Israeli occupation, forced evictions, and settler violence. These incidents caused by settelers under protections of Israeli soldiers are part of a broader strategy aimed at restricting Palestinian access to their land, thus facilitating the expansion of Israeli settlements.

Khirbet al-Halawa rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood. Located in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli administrative and military control, the area has been subjected to repeated Israeli violations by settlers and soldiers targeting their main source of living - livestock.

Since the 1980s, the Israeli army has designated a large portion of Masafer Yatta as a military firing zone (Firing Zone 918), which has served as a justification for ordering the expulsion of over 1,000 Palestinian residents. In May 2022, the Israeli Supreme Court upheld the expulsion orders despite international protests and calls from human rights organizations.

Halawa is one of the villages directly threatened by these measures. Its residents, primarily Bedouin herders, live in precarious conditions — often without running water or electricity — and face frequent demolitions of homes and infrastructure by Israeli authorities. Israeli violations against the area include demolition of animal barns, homes and residential structures. Issuance of construction permits by Israel to local Palestinians in the area is non-existent

Chronology of Recent Violence in Halawa

On April 13, 2025 at noon, while the residents of the village of Halawa were grazing their flocks on their private land, a military vehicle arrived and began to drive the sheep away. Settlers joined the party, and together they drove them all the way into their homes. The soldiers raided the village and arrested five family members, threw tear gas canisters into the village and pushed the residents away.

On December 24, 2024 Israeli settler from various illegal outposts established on Palestinian lands in Masafer Yatta raided on Tuesday night Palestinian homes in Khirbet al-Halawa, according to Osama Makhamreh, a local activist. They stormed tin houses, tents, and caves belonging to Palestinians, searching the properties, spreading fear among children and families.This assault leaded to confrontations with local residents.

On October 26, 2024, settlers grazed their livestock on Palestinian farmland in Halawa, damaging crops and escalating tensions.

Cultural Representation

The documentary "No Other Land", winner of the 2024 Oscar for Best Documentary, sheds light on the struggle of Masafer Yatta’s residents — including those from Halawa — against forced displacement and daily violence.