Four Palestinian Residents Killed in Attack by Israeli Settlers on West Bank
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians on the West Bank, resulting in four deaths.
According to AFP, on Monday 9 March 2026, AFP journalists witnessed the funeral of the four men. Relatives of the victims wept as mourners carried the bodies.
This wave of killings represents the latest bloodshed resulting from escalating violence on the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that Israeli settlers shot and killed Thaer Faruq Hamayel, 24, and Farea Jawdat Hamayel, 57, in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. The timing of the incident was not specified.
Reporter Hamid Khattab told AFP that the Israeli settlers “initially fired pistols, then they were given automatic weapons”.
In a post on X, Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the attack, describing it as “a brutal assault against innocent civilians”.
Israeli military forces were deployed to the Abu Falah area “following reports that Palestinians had been attacked by Israeli civilians near their homes”.
“Subsequently, it was reported that two Palestinians were killed by gunfire. Additionally, it was reported that another Palestinian died from respiratory distress,” the statement continued.
The head of Israeli military forces on the West Bank, Major General Avi Bluth, also condemned the settler attack on Palestinians, calling the action intolerable.
“This is an unacceptable incident,” said Avi Bluth.
“There will be no tolerance for civilians taking the law into their own hands. This action is dangerous and does not represent the Jewish people or the State of Israel,” he added.
On Saturday 7 March, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, based in Ramallah, and a local mayor reported that Israeli settlers shot and killed a Palestinian man and wounded his brother in an attack on another West Bank village, Wadi al-Rakhim.
Mohammad Rabai, head of the Tuwani village council, told AFP that settlers had entered homes in the area and attacked the family of Amir Mohammad Shnaran. Amir was killed in the assault.
Israeli military said troops and police were sent to the scene after receiving reports of a “violent confrontation” between Israeli and Palestinian residents. Initial information indicated that a reserve soldier fired shots, with investigations ongoing.