Jewish settlers launched a series of attacks on Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank overnight, resulting in the burning of homes and clashes with Israeli troops. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of Palestinian casualties.
The Israeli military disclosed that the settlers attacked the village of Beit Furik following the arrival of troops to dismantle an unauthorized farming outpost they had constructed on privately owned Palestinian land. The settlers engaged in stone-throwing, injuring two Border Police officers, and proceeded to enter the village, where they set fire to property.
Additionally, settlers targeted the village of Huwara and engaged in confrontations near Rujeib. Israeli authorities have arrested eight individuals suspected of property damage and assaulting security forces in connection with these incidents.
Settler violence in the West Bank has escalated since the onset of the conflict triggered by Hamas' incursion into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The establishment of new farming outposts by settlers has been identified as a significant contributor to the surge in violence.
Israeli Airstrike Claims Lives in Gaza
Tragically, Palestinian medics reported that an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals, including four children. The strike targeted the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, where the victims were gathered outside shelters.
The Awda Hospital confirmed receiving the bodies of the deceased and treating 15 others, predominantly children, wounded in the attack. The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
Since the conflict's inception, Israel's offensive in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 44,500 Palestinians, with a significant number being women and children. The military claims to have eliminated more than 17,000 militants, although evidence supporting this assertion has not been provided.
Return of Militants' Bodies by Israel
Israel's military announced the return of the bodies of two militants who infiltrated Israeli territory from Jordan in October, where they shot and injured two soldiers before being neutralized. The incursion, which occurred south of the Dead Sea, was praised by Hamas, although the group did not officially claim responsibility for the attack.
Names of the militants involved in the assault have not been disclosed by the Israeli military.
