UN and NGOs urge the Israeli authorities to stop forced evictions in East Jerusalem

Statement by the Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Over the past week, Israeli authorities have evicted 15 households from their homes in Batn Al Hawa area of Silwan, East Jerusalem, forcibly displacing dozens of children and adults, and handing over the properties to settlers. These developments mark a dangerous escalation in unlawful forced evictions, which are part of a broader pattern of forcible transfer across the West Bank. These evictions deepen humanitarian needs, undermine livelihoods, and threaten the fabric of Palestinian communities under occupation.

Over 200 Palestinian households in East Jerusalem – roughly 900 people – face eviction cases filed against them in the Israeli courts, mostly by settlers. They are all at risk of forced displacement.

Settlements and the forcible transfer of protected persons in occupied territories are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.

We urge the Israeli authorities to stop evictions. They must cease and reverse settlement expansion and uphold international humanitarian law. Evicted families must be allowed to return and must be provided with full remedies.

We urge Member States to take stronger, consistent steps to prevent further forced displacement, including through diplomatic engagement and increased field presence. They must support the protection of Palestinian rights, including for housing, land and property.

_{* The Humanitarian Country Team is a strategic decision-making forum led by the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It brings together heads of UN entities and over 200 NGOs – both international and local – all working on humanitarian affairs in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under internationally agreed humanitarian principles.}