IRIA News

A Palestinian man was shot dead and another critically wounded during an attack by dozens of Israeli settlers on the village of Jit in the northern part of the West Bank. The attack, which occurred overnight, saw settlers set fire to homes and cars and hurl rocks and Molotov cocktails at residents.

The assault by the Israeli settlers is the latest in a surge of violence that has gripped the West Bank since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7, following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israeli territory.

According to Palestinian officials, Israeli settlers launched their attack under the cover of darkness. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that Rashid Sedda, 22, was killed by gunfire from the settlers. The ministry condemned the killing as an act of “organized state terrorism,” reflecting the deepening resentment and fear among Palestinians in the West Bank, who have faced increasing violence from settlers in recent months.

Footage shared widely on social media platforms depicted the aftermath of the attack, with cars and houses engulfed in flames. Residents of Jit described a scene of chaos and terror. As the situation deteriorated, more settlers, many armed, arrived at the scene. Despite attempts by the villagers to defend their homes, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of attackers.

The Palestinian Red Crescent responded to the attack, treating a villager who had been shot in the chest before rushing him to the Rafida Government Hospital in Nablus. His condition was described as critical. Sedda’s body was also transported to the same hospital.

Israeli response and international condemnation

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement saying that their forces, along with Border Police officers, were dispatched to Jit “within minutes” of receiving reports of violence. The IDF claimed that its forces fired into the air to disperse the crowds and remove the settlers. They also reported that one individual was arrested and transferred to police custody for questioning. The IDF announced that it had opened a joint investigation with the Shin Bet domestic security service and the police to examine “this serious incident.”

The United States, Israel’s key ally, also weighed in, with a National Security Council spokesperson condemning the violence and urging Israeli authorities to “take measures to protect all communities from harm.” The spokesperson added that it is imperative for Israeli forces to “intervene to stop such violence, and hold all perpetrators of such violence to account.”

I am appalled by yesterday’s violent attack by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. These attacks must stop and the criminals be held to account.

— Ambassador Jack Lew (@USAmbIsrael) August 16, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his concern over the attack, stating, “I view the incident with utmost seriousness and promise that those responsible for any criminal act will be caught and prosecuted.” This was echoed by President Isaac Herzog, who, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), condemned the attack as the work of “an extreme minority that harms the law-abiding community of settlers and the settlement as a whole.”

The attack in Jit is part of a broader pattern of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, which has intensified since the outbreak of war in Gaza. The West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war, is home to approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers living in about 160 settlements. These settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this classification.

The United Nations reported earlier this week that there have been around 1,250 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October 7. Of these, approximately 120 incidents resulted in deaths or injuries, while around 1,000 led to property damage. In the same period, 594 Palestinians, including members of armed groups, attackers, and civilians, have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, with the vast majority killed by Israeli forces.