Israeli settlers reportedly kill Palestinians and steal livestock in West Bank villages

Village Attacks in West Bank Leave Palestinian Residents Injured and Dead

A Palestinian man has been reported killed in Qusra village, while others were injured in Rashayda, amid a surge in Israeli settler violence. According to local officials, Israeli settlers attacked two villages in the occupied West Bank, resulting in casualties among the Palestinian residents.

In Qusra, 28-year-old Amir Moatasem Odeh was shot dead by Israeli settlers on Saturday. Two other residents were injured. In Rashayda, east of Bethlehem, a group of settlers fired live ammunition at the area near the village of Kisan, injuring five Palestinians, including two with gunshot wounds.

The mayor of Rashayda, Musa Abayat, reported that three other Palestinians were beaten with sharp objects or struck by stones, and over 100 sheep were seized. “Daily attacks” by settlers have become a feature of life in the area, according to Abayat.

The Israeli military acknowledged a “violent confrontation” involving Israeli civilians who discharged their weapons toward Palestinians. One Israeli civilian was wounded, while two were detained alongside three Palestinians.

This incident is part of a broader surge in violence that has accompanied Israel’s war on Gaza. Since March, at least five Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to Palestinian authorities and the United Nations. Over 1,045 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7, 2023.

The Israeli military has not commented further on the incident.

Source: Al Jazeera