Israeli settlers burn Palestinian home, vehicle in northern West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A group of Israeli settlers on early Thursday set ablaze a Palestinian home and a vehicle in a village near the city of Nablus in the occupied northern West Bank.

Speaking to Anadolu, Yaqoub Ewais, mayor of Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya village, said the settlers stormed the village and set fire to Palestinian properties.

He said that the Palestinian villagers confronted the settlers and pushed them out of the village.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that at least one Palestinian was injured in the settlers’ attack.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

At least 459 Palestinians have since been killed and around 4,750 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which on Thursday asked Israel to do more to prevent famine in Gaza, where nearly 33,500 people have been killed.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara