Israeli Settlers Continue Raids into West Bank, Setting Homes, Cars Ablaze

Saturday, 13 April 2024 3:46 PM

A Palestinian inspects the damage to a home in the village of Mughayir near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on April 13, 2024, after an attack by Israeli settlers on the village. (Photo by AFP)

Hundreds of Israeli extremist settlers, protected by the regime’s forces, have raided villages near the occupied West Bank cities of Ramallah and Nablus for the second consecutive day, hurling stones at passing vehicles and setting homes ablaze .

The raids were carried out in the West Bank towns of Silwad and Turmus Ayya near Ramallah on Saturday, with Israeli forces closing the entrances to the towns.

Israeli troops also attacked the West Bank village of Duma to terrorize Palestinian residents.

The latest raids came a day after armed settlers set fire to homes and vehicles in the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, killing one Palestinian and injuring dozens.

Palestine’s official news agency WAFA identified the victim as 25-year-old Jihad Abu Aliya who was shot dead after Israeli forces fired live ammunition at his home on Friday.

 The agency added that around 30 other Palestinians were also injured in the attack, with several of them being arrested by Israeli police.

The mayor of Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya village said the settlers stormed the village and set fire to Palestinian property.

Marzouq Abu Naim, the Deputy Chairman of the Al-Mughayir Village Council, also said at least 1,500 settlers accompanied by the Israeli military stormed the town.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) also noted that Israeli settlers opened fire on one of its ambulances on the way to reach the wounded in the town.

The PRSC went on to say that it has dealt with at least 18 cases of injuries, one of them critical, adding that eight of the injuries were due to live ammunition fired on the residents.

Earlier on Friday, five Palestinians were injured in the village of Abu Falah, located northeast of Ramallah, after Israeli settlers set ablaze homes and vehicles there.

Hamas condemns settler attacks 

Meanwhile, the Palestinians resistance movement Hamas has condemned the latest settler attacks, criticizing the international community’s “inaction” to stop these ongoing crimes which take place under the direct protection of Israeli forces.

The resistance movement went on to say that these attacks are part of “the occupation’s frantic efforts to seize more land in the West Bank, Judaize them, and expel their owners under the weight of intimidation, killing and massacres.”

Hamas further noted that Israel has escalated crimes and violations in the West Bank, “in a manner world has not observed in the most heinous apartheid regimes.”

 It also called on Palestinians to unite and resist “this fascist occupation”, while urging the international community to stand by their responsibilities and urgently act to stop these crimes and violations.

Israel has ramped up its aggression in the West Bank since its bombardment of Gaza began in early October last year.

Israeli settlers and troops kill at least three Palestinians during separate attacks across the occupied West Bank.

Since the start of Israel’s bloody campaign in Gaza, over 450 Palestinians have been killed and around 5,000 others wounded by the regime in the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry says.

Israel waged the genocidal war on Gaza after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Israeli aggression has so far killed at least 33,634 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The Tel Aviv regime has imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.