Two Palestinians Killed as Illegal Israeli Settlers Rampage in West Bank
Two Palestinians were killed and several others wounded when Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli occupation forces, attacked the town of Deir Jarir east of Ramallah on Sunday evening. The incident was one of a series of coordinated attacks across the occupied West Bank over the preceding 24 hours.
The deadly incident occurred amid a broader escalation, with settler attacks reported in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron (Al-Khalil), Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jenin. The attacks included shootings, arson, livestock theft, destruction of agricultural land, and assaults on Palestinian homes and property.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the two Palestinians killed as Awda Abdul Rahim Awda Farakhna, 53, and Ahmad Adel Rashid Abu Mukh, 26.
According to Eid Hammad, head of the Deir Jarir Village Council, settlers entered the old town area under the protection of Israeli forces, stormed a Palestinian home, and seized a number of sheep after marking them for confiscation. Local residents confronted the settlers, triggering clashes in which Israeli occupation soldiers and settlers opened heavy fire.
Farakhna, a member of the village council, and Abu Mukh were shot dead in the attack. Several other Palestinians sustained serious injuries.
Hammad said Israeli forces and settlers blocked ambulance teams attempting to reach the wounded, while the village’s narrow streets further complicated evacuation efforts. Surrounded by settlements, outposts, and Israeli military checkpoints, Deir Jarir lacks adequate medical facilities, forcing emergency teams to transport the wounded to the Salwad Emergency Centre before transferring critical cases to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) initially reported treating a Palestinian who had sustained a critical gunshot wound to the abdomen from the settler attack. It later stated that ambulance teams treated two additional casualties, including a 55-year-old man whose condition deteriorated so severely that paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while transporting him to hospital.
Local sources also reported that Israeli forces opened fire on an ambulance carrying one of the wounded. Witnesses added that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters at homes during the assault.