Three Palestinians Killed Amid Intensifying Settler Violence in Occupied West Bank
Three Palestinians were killed Wednesday night during a violent attack by Israeli settlers on the village of Kafr Malik, near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The incident, which saw settlers setting fire to homes and vehicles, escalated when Israeli forces intervened, with conflicting accounts emerging regarding the events leading to the deaths and injuries.
Palestinian authorities described the event as a “terrorist assault” by settlers, alleging they fired at villagers inside their homes. They also claimed that Israeli forces obstructed ambulance crews and firefighters attempting to reach the village for several hours.
According to local residents and officials, dozens, possibly over 100 settlers from a nearby outpost, descended on Kafr Malik around 7 pm. Video footage from the village showed a car and a home ablaze as gunfire echoed. Residents gathered to confront the attackers.
The Israeli military stated that forces arriving at the scene found settlers and villagers throwing stones. They claimed that several “terrorists” then opened fire and threw stones at their forces, who responded by returning fire and identified hits. The military also reported arresting five Israelis in connection with the incident and said an Israeli army officer sustained light injuries.
However, Palestinian accounts, including statements from residents, assert that Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition at Palestinians who had confronted the settlers, directly leading to the fatalities and injuries. One resident claimed a soldier shot his brother, Murshid Hamayel, in the head as he stood unarmed outside his home, reportedly trying to protect his children or reach the wounded. Emergency medical crews faced significant delays in reaching the wounded, with residents forced to use private vehicles due to alleged obstruction by forces and a main village entrance sealed for months, requiring a lengthy detour.
Mourning and Resistance in Kafr Malik
Funerals were held on Thursday for the three men killed: Murshid Nawwaf Hamayel, Mohammed Qaher al-Naji, and Lutfi Sabri Bearat. Hundreds of mourners gathered, with one elderly man reflecting, “What do you expect us to do when our homes are being attacked by settlers with petrol bombs?” Despite the violence, residents like Hamdallah Bearat, a retired professor, expressed determination to stay on their land. “They think they can take my land and force me to leave, but I’m not going anywhere,” he stated. Reports indicate settlers even returned to the village outskirts during the funeral procession.
The attack occurred just two days after 13-year-old Ammar Hamayel, also from Kafr Malik, was reportedly shot and killed by Israeli forces. The community was already in mourning, which contributed to the collective response to the settler assault.
Escalation of Settler Violence
The incident in Kafr Malik is part of a significant and documented surge in settler violence across the occupied West Bank, particularly since the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza. Human rights organizations and witnesses frequently report that Israeli military and police forces often stand by or actively protect settlers during attacks on Palestinian communities.
UN figures reveal a stark increase, with 487 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage recorded in the first four months of 2024 alone, including 122 in April. At least 181 Palestinians were reportedly injured by settlers during these assaults. The Palestinian Authority’s Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reports over 5,000 settler attacks since October 7, resulting in 26 Palestinian deaths by settler gunfire.
Palestinian officials and residents view this escalating violence as a deliberate strategy, often supported by the current Israeli government, to displace Palestinians and seize land, particularly in areas under full Israeli control (Area C). Settlers are accused of occupying hilltops, blocking Palestinian access to land and resources like the Ain Samia freshwater spring, and establishing outposts as part of this effort.
Political Condemnation and Broader Context
Following the Kafr Malik attack, another settler assault was reported in the nearby Palestinian community of Dar Fazaa, where B’Tselem documented masked men torching cars and throwing stones.
Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the violence, stating the settler actions are a “political decision by the Israeli government” carried out “under the protection of the occupation army.” He warned that Israel’s behaviour is pushing the region toward an “explosion” and called for urgent international intervention to protect the Palestinian people.
The killings in Kafr Malik were among several fatal incidents involving Palestinians in the West Bank on Wednesday. A 15-year-old boy, Rayan Tamer Houshieh, was shot and killed by Israeli forces near Jenin, and a 66-year-old woman was killed by forces in the Shu’fat refugee camp near Jerusalem.
Since October 7, 2023, over 900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, while more than 20 Israelis have also been killed in the territory during the same period.
Background on Israeli Settlements
Israel has built approximately 160 settlements, housing around 700,000 Jews, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since occupying the territories in the 1967 Middle East war. These settlements are located on land Palestinians seek for a future state, alongside an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians. The vast majority of the international community considers these settlements illegal under international law, a position supported by the International Court of Justice. Israel disputes this view. The current Israeli government has advanced plans for numerous new settlements and the legalisation of unauthorized outposts, with ministers stating this is a move to prevent a Palestinian state.
