Violence in the occupied West Bank intensified on Monday after two Palestinians were killed in separate incidents and an Israeli settler was seriously wounded in a stabbing, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.
The latest violence came as tensions continue to rise across the territory, with repeated confrontations involving Israeli settlers, Palestinian residents and Israeli security forces.
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Palestinian killed during settler raid
In the northern West Bank village of Hajja, residents said armed Israeli settlers from a nearby outpost entered the area overnight, prompting local Palestinians to gather and confront them.
According to Reuters, around nine armed settlers were involved. Israeli troops later arrived, and Palestinian residents said both the settlers and soldiers opened fire. A 19-year-old Palestinian was killed and three others were wounded.
The Israeli military gave a different account, saying soldiers were deployed after Israelis entered the village and that Palestinians threw stones at the troops. The military said soldiers fired warning shots before opening fire at what it described as key instigators.
Palestinian killed after stabbing settler
In a separate incident near Qusra, south of Nablus, a Palestinian man entered an Israeli farming outpost and stabbed a settler, seriously wounding him, according to Israeli authorities and media reports.
The suspect fled the scene but was later located by Israeli troops. The military said he was killed after allegedly attempting to stab soldiers during the operation.
The Israeli man, reported to be around 20 years old, was taken to hospital in serious condition after sustaining multiple stab wounds.
Tensions continue to rise
The latest incidents come amid increasing international concern over violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee recently described violent settlers as “terrorists” and called for greater accountability following a series of attacks on Palestinian communities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also ordered the removal of unauthorized settler outposts, according to Reuters, following pressure from Washington over escalating violence. The order reportedly concerns around 100 unauthorized outposts, although no specific timetable has been announced.
The United Nations has separately warned about the growing impact of settler violence and Israeli military operations on Palestinian communities. UN humanitarian officials have called for civilians to be protected and for perpetrators of violence to be held accountable.
The latest deaths and stabbing are likely to further heighten tensions in the West Bank, where violence has continued to fuel fears of a broader escalation despite international efforts to reduce regional conflict.