Hundreds of Palestinians gathered on Friday to perform congregational prayers on lands threatened with confiscation by Israeli occupation authorities near the towns of Dura and Idhna, west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

Local sources reported that residents, farmers, and landowners assembled on the targeted lands despite mounting restrictions imposed by Israeli forces, which have increasingly prevented Palestinians from accessing and cultivating their own property. By praying on the land, participants sought to reaffirm their presence and reject efforts aimed at uprooting them from their communities.

The move comes amid escalating attempts by Israeli settlers to seize Palestinian lands in the area. Landowners have documented repeated attacks carried out by settlers under the protection of occupation forces, including the deliberate burning of olive trees, agricultural crops, and other acts of vandalism designed to terrorize residents and pressure them into abandoning their property.

Palestinian farmers say these assaults are part of a broader strategy to facilitate the expansion of illegal settlement activities at the expense of indigenous Palestinian communities, threatening both their livelihoods and their historical connection to the land.

In a show of solidarity, peace activists joined local residents in cleaning and maintaining the threatened areas. The initiative aimed to strengthen the community's resilience and support Palestinian efforts to remain on their land despite the growing challenges imposed by occupation policies.

Participants stressed that the Friday prayers were not merely a religious gathering, but also an affirmation of their determination to defend their rights and preserve their heritage. They vowed to continue confronting attempts to confiscate their lands and alter their ownership through peaceful resistance and steadfast presence.

"For us, this land is our identity, our history, and our future," one participant said. "No matter how much pressure we face, we will not abandon it."

As settlement expansion and settler violence continue across the occupied West Bank, Palestinians in Dura and Idhna say their message remains clear: they will remain rooted in their land and persist in defending it against all efforts to erase their presence. (ILKHA)