At least seven Palestinians were injured on Saturday following a series of violent attacks carried out by Israeli settlers across various areas in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials and local sources. These attacks represent a new escalation in settler violence amid ongoing tensions in the region.
Witnesses reported that heavily-armed settlers, sometimes escorted by Israeli military personnel, stormed Palestinian villages such as Burin, Qaryut and al-Mughayyir and engaged in violent assaults against residents there which left several injured as well as property damaged.
In Burin, south of Nablus, a group of settlers is reported to have attacked homes and vehicles with stones and Molotov cocktails, injuring two locals – one suffering a head wound and the other sustained burns on his arm – before medical teams administered on-site treatment before transporting them to Rafidia Hospital for treatment.
At al-Mughayyir village in central West Bank, five Palestinians were injured after Israeli settlers opened fire following a confrontation that started when residents attempted to defend their farmlands from incursion. According to the head of al-Mughayyir Village Council, when some settlers attempted to fence off part of pasture area there was resistance by local villagers who attempted to protect it by setting up their own fence.
“Hundreds of settlers came out from an illegal outpost near us and opened fire on us,” according to council member Mahmoud Zidan. When soldiers arrived they provided cover for these gunfirers instead of stopping them.
Local sources confirmed that one of the injured was in serious condition and was transferred to Ramallah Government Hospital for care. Photos shared online depict bullet-riddled farm structures, damaged olive trees and burned livestock shelters following this attack.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned these attacks, labeling them part of an organized campaign of ethnic cleansing, and appealing for intervention by international bodies. According to their statement: “These escalating crimes are part of an organized campaign designed to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land,” and demanded international intervention as soon as possible.
OCHA recently reported an alarming surge in settler-related violence in the West Bank since 2025 began, noting over 200 attacks resulting in injuries or significant property damage – many near illegal Israeli outposts that continue to expand despite international condemnation.
Israeli authorities have not issued an official response to Saturday’s incidents, yet human rights organizations such as B’Tselem have accused Israeli security forces of turning a blind eye to settler violence, or participating or failing to protect Palestinian civilians.
“These attacks are being conducted with impunity and in broad daylight, in an attempt to drive Palestinians from their homes and lands,” according to Kareem al-Araj of Yesh Din’s Field Coordinators team.
Tensions remain high across the West Bank following military operations and settler marches that coincided with an increased crackdown against Palestinian resistance groups. Palestinian residents say that as conditions deteriorate on the ground, more violence could ensue in coming days.
“We live in constant fear,” stated Samira Odeh, a resident of Qaryut. “Nobody is safe – not our children, homes or olive trees.”
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