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Israeli West Bank crackdown after deadly firefight escalates violence — AI-generated representative image. Israeli military checkpoints and armored vehicles deployed across the occupied West Bank after a deadly firefight near Nablus

Editorial Team

Sweeping military operation detains hundreds of Palestinians as settler arson attacks target mosques in occupied territory

The Israeli military has launched a large-scale operation across the occupied West Bank, storming towns and villages and detaining hundreds of Palestinians, as Jewish settlers carried out brazen attacks including attempted arson on two mosques, in the aftermath of a deadly firefight near Nablus that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers on Friday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the "wide-scale military operation" following the soldiers' deaths, and the crackdown intensified on Sunday with Israeli forces raiding multiple locations, imposing strict traffic restrictions, and setting up security checkpoints on main roads and village entrances across the territory.

The surge in violence marks one of the most intense episodes of military and settler aggression in the occupied West Bank in recent months, unfolding just three months before general elections in Israel. The developments have drawn widespread criticism from rights groups who accuse Israel of collective punishment and a lack of accountability for settler violence, with the United Nations and human rights organisations noting that settlers are rarely prosecuted and Israeli soldiers are seldom convicted for attacks on Palestinians.

Major Developments Across the West Bank

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli forces arrested at least 66 people across multiple locations, including 30 in the village of Tal where the initial confrontation occurred, 14 in Ramallah, five in Jenin, eight in Hebron, three in Bethlehem and six in Tulkarem. Forces also launched a large-scale raid across Jenin city and numerous towns and villages in the Jenin governorate, including Zababdeh, Faqqua, Yabad, Burqin, Jalbun, Qabatiya, Jalqamus, Silat al-Harithiya, al-Yamoun, Kafr Dan, Deir Abu Daif and Zububa.

In Qusra, southeast of Nablus, settlers attempted to set the newly built Al-Rahma Mosque ablaze and spray-painted slogans including "Jewish revenge" on its walls, according to Abdel Azim Wadi, head of the village council. Verified video footage showed fire consuming the mosque. In the village of Kour, south of Tulkarem, three settlers tried to set another mosque on fire at dawn, but worshippers extinguished the flames before they could reach the main prayer area, said village council member Farid Jiyousi.

Israeli forces raided Rafidia near Nablus and were spotted in Huwara assaulting a paramedic and a civilian, with video circulating from witnesses. The Palestine Red Crescent Society also reported an assault on one of its paramedics in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

Background and Trigger Incident

The confrontation that triggered the military response took place on Friday in Tal, southwest of Nablus. Video footage confirms villagers' accounts that approximately 20 Israeli settlers, many carrying rifles, approached the village with the intent of causing violence. Villagers came out to confront the settlers, and as tensions escalated, Israeli soldiers arrived. A villager grabbed a gun from a settler, and a shootout erupted, leaving four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead. Each side disputes the other's account of events leading to the confrontation.

Israeli forces and settlers have intensified attacks in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023. Since then, at least 1,185 Palestinians, including more than 250 children, have been killed. At least 12,652 Palestinians have been wounded and more than 24,000 have been detained. As of July 1, 2026, 9,299 Palestinians remain in Israeli jails, of whom 3,244 are held without charge. The latest violence comes ahead of general elections in Israel, with opinion polls suggesting Netanyahu could lose power. Land grabs and accelerating the establishment of new settlements align with his right-wing support base.

Official Statements and Expert Analysis

Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, said on Sunday that forces were raiding houses in Tal belonging to villagers suspected of involvement in Friday's violence. She said the homes "were raided in preparation for their temporary sealing, as a preliminary step preceding their demolition." Israel maintains a policy of demolishing the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out lethal attacks, a practice rights groups condemn as collective punishment that violates international law.

Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, said Israeli settlers are not being held accountable for their crimes. "We're seeing an increase in direct war crimes," she said. Bennis argued that the distinction between settlers and soldiers is false, noting that many settlers serve in military reserves, are armed and trained by the military, and use US-provided arms. "They are all supported by the Israeli state," she said. "What we're seeing here is a decision that they make to deliberately commit war crimes. So we're seeing collective punishment. We're seeing attacks on hospitals."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said Israel plans to build 763 new units in the illegal Eli settlement, south of Nablus.

Current Status and Next Steps

Israeli forces continued overnight raids across the occupied West Bank on Sunday, with the national broadcaster Kan reporting strict traffic restrictions and numerous security checkpoints on main roads and village entrances. In Tel Aviv on Saturday, hundreds gathered to protest against the surge in settler violence and the military crackdown. Israeli police arrested nine protesters, stating that the demonstrations had gone ahead without authorisation and had begun to "disrupt public order and block the roadway." The situation remains volatile, with further military operations expected as investigations into Friday's firefight continue.

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