Jerusalem: Israeli forces have forcibly evicted at least 16 Palestinian families from their homes in Batn al-Hawa in Silwan, East Jerusalem, between March 22 and 25, the UN human rights office announced Thursday. These evictions are part of a larger effort to remove Palestinians from areas surrounding Jerusalem's Old City and replace them with settlers.

According to Anadolu Agency, the UN human rights office indicated that since October 7, 2023, Israel has displaced 28 Palestinian households, totaling around 160 individuals, from Batn al-Hawa, marking a significant increase since early 2025. The office highlighted that many Palestinian families are still at risk of eviction.

The UN office reported that forced displacement across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is occurring at rates not seen since 1967. This situation has raised alarm over potential ethnic cleansing and racial segregation. The office urged the international community to take action to stop these displacements and ensure accountability for breaches of international law, while advocating for Palestinians' right to self-determination.

Since the onset of the Gaza war on October 8, 2023, Israeli forces and settlers' attacks in the West Bank have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,133 Palestinians, injuries to approximately 11,700, and the arrests of about 22,000 individuals. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered a significant opinion declaring Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the removal of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.