A confrontation in the Palestinian village of Tell near Nablus resulted in the deadliest attack in the West Bank this year, according to reports. The incident began when armed Israeli settlers entered the village accompanied by Israeli military forces. During the encounter, a struggle erupted over a weapon belonging to an armed settler, and gunfire ensued. Four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in the clash, with additional people sustaining serious injuries. Following the initial violence, settlers launched attacks on neighboring Palestinian towns, setting fires to houses and attacking residents, resulting in dozens more people being wounded.
The Israeli military characterized the incident as a terrorist attack and announced preparations for an extensive operation in the West Bank. Military forces surrounded the town of Nablus, and security personnel reportedly entered a hospital to detain injured individuals involved in the violence. The military stated it intended to apprehend dozens of Palestinians connected to the confrontation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement calling for security forces to act with full force against what they termed terrorism. They demanded additional troops in the West Bank, the demolition of homes belonging to accused individuals in Tell, weapons confiscation, and revocation of work permits.
Netanyahu also called for the construction of new settlement outposts in the area and the legalization of existing unauthorized outposts. Village council leader Walid Zidan reported that approximately 20 Israeli settlers had entered Tell at around 8:30 a.m. local time, prompting residents to emerge in defense of their homes. The military stated the settlers were undertaking an unauthorized hike when the altercation began. Video footage documented an armed settler confronting Palestinian residents before a struggle over the weapon occurred. The four Palestinian fatalities were identified as members of the same family; the Israeli settler casualty was named as a security guard from the nearby settlement Havat Gilad, and an Israeli military officer was also killed.
Government officials made additional statements regarding responses to the incident. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for severe measures against Palestinian villages, referencing demolition campaigns and bombing operations as models. Political opposition figures, including Democratic party head Yair Golan, criticized the government response as inflammatory. Palestinian officials condemned the event as a massacre perpetrated by settlers in coordination with military forces.
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