Four Palestinians and two Israelis killed in West Bank violence escalation

At least four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed on Friday in a violent incident near the Palestinian village of Tell, in the occupied West Bank, triggering a major Israeli military operation and a wave of settler attacks on Palestinian communities. The confrontations began when a group of Israeli settlers entered the area, which is under Palestinian Authority control and officially off-limits to Israelis. Palestinian accounts say settlers attacked homes, while the Israeli military described it as an attack on Israeli hikers, with a Palestinian seizing a soldier's weapon and opening fire Source: CNN. The exact sequence remains disputed.

The crackdown

Israel deployed 26 battalions across the West Bank, arrested over 70 suspects Source: lavozar, and imposed a complete closure on Nablus, blocking all entrances Source: infobae. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered "contundent measures," including the demolition of the Palestinian assailant's home and the acceleration of settlement approvals Source: diariolibree. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for evacuating Palestinian villages Source: cnn.

Settler reprisals

Following the incident, radical settlers burned two mosques in Qusra and Kur, and attacked several other villages, leaving graffiti with slogans like "Vengeance Benayahu" Source: elmundoes. Palestinian residents formed defense committees in response Source: elmundoes.

Humanitarian toll

The military closure trapped patients; at least two pregnant women gave birth in ambulances unable to reach hospitals, and dialysis patients were stranded at checkpoints Source: infobae. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported eight injured by settler attacks in Farata Source: diariolibree.

International reaction

Spain condemned the settler violence and called on Israel to reverse its expansion policies Source: infobae. The Palestinian Authority blamed the Israeli government and appealed to the U.S. to intervene Source: elmundoes.