Key facts
- Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes and farmland in the occupied West Bank's Hebron governorate, injuring six residents.
- Settlers reportedly attacked homes in the village of Umm al-Khair in Masafer Yatta, under the protection of Israeli forces.
- Israeli forces declared the area around one targeted home a closed military zone, restricting access for residents.
- Settlers also set fire to a Palestinian home near Nablus and cut down hundreds of almond and olive trees near Hebron.
- Attacks by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank have surged since October 2023, resulting in numerous casualties and displacements.
Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes and farmland in the occupied West Bank's Hebron governorate on Monday, injuring six residents. Activist Osama Makhamra stated that approximately 30 armed settlers attacked homes in the village of Umm al-Khair in Masafer Yatta, located in the South Hebron Hills. This occurred after the Israeli military closed the village's main entrance.
According to Wafa, the official news agency of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Makhamra reported that the settlers conducted the assault under the protection of Israeli forces. One of the homes targeted reportedly belongs to Salem al-Hathaleen. Makhamra added that Israeli forces designated the area surrounding the house as a closed military zone for two days, preventing family members from accessing sanitation facilities and a livestock pen, leaving animals without sustenance.
Recent reports indicate a significant increase in settler attacks on Palestinian property since October 7, 2023. These attacks have led to the displacement of over 3,000 people. Israeli forces and settlers have conducted numerous raids across the West Bank, including shooting residents in the Far’a refugee camp and vandalizing property near Nablus and Hebron.
In one incident, Israeli troops stormed the Far’a camp, injuring two young men. The Israeli military also arrested Palestinians from several locations. Settlers also set fire to a Palestinian home near Huwara in Nablus and cut down approximately 300 almond and olive trees in Sa’ir near Hebron. Another group of settlers harassed residents southeast of Bethlehem.
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, attacks by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank have escalated. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that these attacks have resulted in at least 1,047 Palestinian deaths and over 10,000 injuries. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees notes that settler attacks have targeted Palestinian property more than 2,400 times in the past two years, displacing at least 3,055 people, predominantly from Bedouin or herding communities.
Israeli settler violence, documented since the late 20th century, includes physical assaults, arson, vandalism, and shootings. Human rights organizations describe the control system in the occupied territories as amounting to apartheid, with systematic violence reported. Reports indicate Israeli security forces have often accompanied or supported attackers, raising concerns about accountability. A UN report found that out of 1,500 killings between 2017 and September 2025, Israeli authorities opened only 112 investigations, leading to one conviction.
In November 2021, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz noted a steep rise in incidents between settlers and Palestinians, often stemming from attacks by residents of illegal outposts. Settler violence also includes 'price tag' attacks, typically targeting Palestinians in response to Israeli government actions. Palestinian police are reportedly forbidden from intervening in settler violence, diminishing their credibility. Between January and November 2008, Israel opened 515 criminal suits against settlers for violence, with the vast majority involving 'right wing radicals'.