JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed into a Palestinian village within the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, taking pictures and surroundings properties and automobiles on fire. The rampage killed a Palestinian guy and wounded 25 others, Palestinian well being officers mentioned.
The violence used to be the newest in an escalation within the West Bank that has accompanied Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli rights team mentioned the settlers have been looking for a lacking 14-year-old boy from their agreement. After the rampage, Israeli troops mentioned they have been nonetheless looking for the teenager.
The killing got here after an Israeli raid in a single day killed two Palestinians, together with a Hamas militant, in disagreement with Israeli forces.
Palestinian well being officers say over 460 Palestinians were killed within the West Bank by means of Israeli fire because the conflict erupted in October.
The Israeli human rights team Yesh Din mentioned that settlers stormed into the village of al-Mughayyir overdue Friday, looking for the Israeli boy. The team mentioned that settlers have been taking pictures and surroundings properties on fire within the village.
Videos posted to X by means of the rights team confirmed darkish clouds of smoke billowing from burning automobiles as gunshots rang out. A photograph posted by means of the crowd confirmed what seemed to be a crowd of masked settlers.
The Palestinian Health Ministry mentioned that one guy used to be introduced useless to a clinic and 25 have been handled for wounds. The Palestine Red Crescent Society mentioned 8 of the injured have been hit by means of are living fire.
The slain guy used to be later recognized by means of his circle of relatives as 26-year-old Jehad Abu Alia. His father, Afif Abu Alia, mentioned he used to be shot and killed however used to be undecided whether or not the deadly bullet used to be fired by means of an armed settler or an Israeli soldier.
“My son went with others to defend our land and honor, and this is what happened,” Abu Alia mentioned from a clinic within the West Bank town of Ramallah, the place his son’s frame were transported.
The assault used to be condemned by means of Mohammad Mustafa, the new Palestinian prime minister.
The Israeli military mentioned it used to be looking for the lacking Israeli teenager, and that forces had opened fire when stones have been hurled at infantrymen by means of Palestinians. It mentioned “hits were identified,” and infantrymen additionally cleared out Israeli settlers from the village.
“As of this moment, the violent riots have been dispersed and there are no Israeli civilians present within the town,” it mentioned.
United States officers, together with President Joe Biden, have many times raised concerns about a surge in settler violence in opposition to Palestinians within the West Bank since Israel’s conflict with the militant Hamas group within the Gaza Strip started greater than six months in the past. Rights teams have lengthy accused the army of failing to halt settler violence or punish infantrymen for wrongdoing.
Earlier on Friday, two Palestinians have been killed in confrontations with Israeli forces within the northern West Bank, Palestinian medics and the army mentioned. Hamas mentioned a kind of killed used to be an area commander.
The army mentioned the objective of the warriors’ raid used to be Mohammed Daraghmeh, an area Hamas commander. It mentioned Daraghmeh used to be killed in a shootout with Israeli infantrymen who found out guns in his automotive. The military alleged that Daraghmeh were making plans assaults on Israeli objectives however supplied no proof. It additionally mentioned assailants hurled explosives at infantrymen.
The Israel-Hamas conflict began on Oct. 7, when Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis, most commonly civilians, in a marvel assault and incursion into southern Israel. Around 250 people were seized as hostages by means of the militants and taken to Gaza.
Israel mentioned Friday it had opened a brand new crossing for help vans into hard-hit northern Gaza as ramps up help deliveries to the besieged enclave. However, the United Nations says the surge of help is now not being felt in Gaza on account of continual distribution difficulties.
Six months of preventing in Gaza have driven the tiny Palestinian territory right into a humanitarian disaster, leaving greater than 1 million folks on the brink of starvation.
Israeli bombardments and floor offensives in Gaza have killed greater than 33,600 Palestinians and wounded over 76,200, the Gaza Health Ministry says. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and warring parties in its tally, however says women and children make up two-thirds of the useless.
Israel says it has killed over 12,000 militants throughout the conflict, but it surely has now not supplied proof to again up the declare.