It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine on April 22, 1948, by the Palmach's First Battalion of Operation Yiftach.

[6] After the 1948 Palestine war, according to the armistice agreements of 1949 Between Israel and Syria, it was determined that a string of villages, including Al-Nuqayb Al-Hamma, Al-Samra in the Tiberias Subdistrict and Kirad al-Baqqara and Kirad al-Ghannama further north in the Safad Subdistrict, would be included the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between Israel and Syria.

The villagers and their property were formally protected by Article V of the Israeli-Syrian agreement of 20 July that year.

[7][8] However, Israel thought the villagers could pose a security threat, and Israeli settlers and settlement agencies coveted the land.

[9] A United Nations decision allowed the villagers to return, however, Israel pressured them to remain in Sha'ab.