Life in Humsa’s Fragile Valley

Tasneem Abu Awad helps her family herd goats as their village faces repeated demolitions.
Untold Palestine
August 5, 2022
Jordan Valley, Humsa
Story by:
Samar Hazboun

Tasneem Abu Awad is a Palestinian Bedouin living with her family in Humsa at the northern end of the Jordan Valley.

Girl with sheep in valley

When she's not in school, she walks around the valley and spends her days helping her mother milk the goats and sheep, make milk and herd their cattle.

Hands holding red flower


Humsa, whose residents live on raising sheep, was completely demolished at the beginning of last November 2021, the occupation demolished more than 70 corrugated iron houses.

Portrait of Tasneem

And during this year the village has been demolished 7 times.

Girl playing with toys inside a tent

In the past four years it has been subjected to eviction 11 times, which reflects the growing efforts to evict Palestinians.

Girl with her mother

Tasneem waits everyday for her father to come back from nearby villages and tell her stories about his encounters with people.

Sheep grazing in valley