[image: Palestinian cave dweller lighting up a kerosene lantern] BBC News website reader, Eddie Gerald, took these pictures of a Palestinian family living in a cave at Mufakara in the hills south a of Hebron in the West Bank.
[image: Cave entrance] The typical entrance to a cave dwelling compound is a stone doorway leading to a cave which extends about five metres (16ft) into the soft, clay-like rock. The light is dim and the air cool. [image: Two members of a family stand in their home] The caves are divided into three areas; one for livestock in winter, a living area and cooking area. Each family has at least one cave that it uses as a residence. [image: Young cave dwellers eating sweet watermelon inside a cave.] "Most of the childbirths take place in the caves, under poor sanitary conditions, without licensed midwives, and without appropriate medical equipment." [image: Mother and child doing housework] A quarter of the children in the caves area do not attend school at all. They help with the house work and the grazing. [image: A man at prayer] Hamamadi at prayer inside his cave house in Mufakara. The family sleep, pray and eat in the same area. [image: Members of a family sit inside a cave alcove] Cave dwellers have few belongings. Possessions are stored in alcoves carved into the rock. The caves are dark and blackened with the smoke of paraffin lamps. [image: A person sorts wool from their herd of sheep] Residents support themselves primarily from farming, raising sheep and goats, and the production of milk and cheese. [image: A women lays out tomatoes to dry in the sunshine] The cave dwellers live off of basic agriculture. Most of the produce is for home consumption. [image: Family members gather outside their home] There are no paved roads leading from nearby villages and the harsh topography of the area compels the residents to travel to and from the area by foot or donkey.
