Settler Attack in West Bank Village Leaves One Palestinian Dead, Two Wounded

One Palestinian was killed and two others were wounded by live ammunition fired by Israeli settlers on Thursday during an attack on the village of Yasuf, east of Salfit in the northern West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the death, stating a Palestinian was "martyred by settlers' bullets in the village of Yasuf." Earlier, local sources reported two people injured by gunfire in the settler attack.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated its teams treated two individuals for gunshot wounds. One victim, a 50-year-old man, was shot in the abdomen, while the second sustained a shrapnel wound to the flank.

Jum'a Abd al-Fattah, head of the Yasuf Village Council, said the attack occurred near the village's edge, close to a new outpost established several months ago, which he described as an extension of existing settlements. He noted that settlers are attempting to displace residents and seize homes, asserting that such attacks are frequent, with Thursday's being particularly aggressive.

Abd al-Fattah reported that settlers surrounded homes, fired randomly, and threw stones. He added that one homeowner was shot when he exited his house. He also stated that Israeli army forces were present during the incident and that Palestinians clashed with settlers. He described the situation as "very bad," with the village under siege and its main road closed since October 7, 2023.

He characterized Thursday's assault as "fierce" and conveyed a message that settlers aim to seize the targeted homes. The report notes a rise in settler violence in the West Bank, coinciding with increased restrictions on Palestinians and settlement expansion. According to Palestinian data, settlers committed 628 attacks in August. In June, UN special rapporteurs warned that settler violence, supported by the Israeli government, poses an existential threat. Since the start of the Gaza war, settler and Israeli military attacks in the West Bank have resulted in 1,206 Palestinian deaths, approximately 13,350 injuries, and over 24,600 arrests.