5 Palestinians injured in attack by illegal Israeli settlers in southern West Bank

By Omer Aydin and Ikram Kouachi

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Five Palestinians were injured on Friday in an assault by illegal Israeli settlers in the Masafer Yatta area, located in the southern occupied West Bank.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, the victims, including a 70-year-old man, were beaten by the illegal settlers. The injured individuals were transported to a hospital for treatment.

The incident comes as part of an ongoing pattern of violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the region.

The Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that the Israeli army has been intensifying its operations in the Jenin area, including demolitions and arson of homes and turning them into military barracks.

The Israeli army has also been conducting near-daily arrests in Jenin and surrounding villages.

This latest attack on Palestinian civilians comes amid the ongoing military offensive in the occupied territories, particularly in Jenin, where the Israeli army has been engaging in aggressive operations for 67 consecutive days.

Tension has been running high across the occupied West Bank, where at least 938 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers since the start of the onslaught on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.