West Bank – Tensions escalated in the occupied West Bank as Israeli settlers launched a violent attack on the Palestinian village of Khirbet al-Marjam on Thursday night, setting fire to homes and vehicles in a wave of raids that have intensified during the ongoing Gaza war.
Eyewitnesses reported that the settlers stormed through the village, firing live rounds and hurling teargas bombs at residents who tried to extinguish the flames.
Security footage captured masked individuals trespassing on Palestinian property, vandalizing a security camera, and throwing objects around.
Residents Describe Night of Terror
One villager, Maysoom Msalam, recounted the terrifying ordeal:
“They climbed on top of the house and started throwing stones. They broke the door and windows. Then, they set fire inside the house.”
The Israeli military confirmed that troops and police intervened to disperse masked Israeli settlers responsible for setting property on fire.
However, they also claimed that the incident followed reports of Palestinians allegedly trying to steal livestock from Israeli settlers—an accusation local officials strongly deny.
‘A Campaign to Displace Palestinians’
Ghassan Daghlas, the governor of Nablus, dismissed suggestions that Palestinians provoked the attack. He accused settlers of trying to drive Palestinians off their land:
“This is an attack aimed at expelling citizens from their lands. The settlers are telling Palestinians: ‘Either you leave, or we will burn you.’ The situation is worsening, and the settlers are becoming more violent.”
The West Bank has seen rising violence, with Israeli ministers openly calling for full annexation of the territory—land that Israel captured in the 1967 war and which Palestinians see as a future independent state, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem.
Rising Violence Against Palestinians
According to the United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA), Israeli settlers carried out at least 1,580 attacks against Palestinians in 2024, causing casualties and property damage.
Since the start of 2025, another 220 attacks have already been recorded.
As tensions remain high, Palestinians fear that the violence will continue, making peace and stability in the region even more uncertain.
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