WEST BANK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Jewish settlers attacked several Palestinians on Monday in different areas of al-Khalil Governorate in the southern West Bank, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces. Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers continued uprooting hundreds of olive trees in the town of Idhna, west of the city.
Local sources reported that settlers from the Givat Ma’aleh Tehar settlement, illegally built on Palestinian land in the town of Sa’ir northeast of al-Khalil, assaulted residents in the Khirbet Hamrush area and beat several civilians.
The attack left members of the Al-Shallaldeh family with bruises and injuries after being assaulted by armed settlers. They were treated at the scene.
The same sources added that Israeli forces arrested two young men while they were working on their farmland in the area and took them to an unknown location.
In a related incident, anti-settlement activist Osama Makhmara said settlers attacked Palestinians in Khirbet Huwwara in the Masafer Yatta area south of al-Khalil, beating residents and spraying them with pepper spray.
The assault caused injuries and suffocation cases for two local residents, who were transferred by Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to Yatta Government Hospital for treatment.
In the same area, Israeli forces chased several children while they were on their land in the Khallet Al-Adra area near Wadi Al-Jawaya in Masafer Yatta before arresting a 14-year-old boy and taking him to an unknown destination.
Meanwhile, in the town of Idhna, west of al-Khalil, Israeli authorities have been uprooting hundreds of olive trees for several days along the separation wall. Local residents say the move is aimed at tightening restrictions on Palestinian farmers and seizing more land.
On Sunday night into Monday, Israeli settlers also carried out a series of attacks against Palestinian communities in the northern Jordan Valley in the eastern occupied West Bank, including raids on homes, property vandalism, and livestock theft.
According to Mu‘taz Bisharat, the official responsible for the settlement file in the Jordan Valley, settlers attacked residents near the village of Tayasir in Tubas Governorate, raided the community of Hammamat Al-Maleh, damaged homes, stole livestock belonging to a local resident, and assaulted the Al-Maleh school.
He added that settlers also raided the tents of Palestinian residents in Khirbet Samra during the night.
These incidents come amid a surge in settler violence across the West Bank. Recently, Palestinians were killed in the town of Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, the town of Qaryut south of Nablus, and Wadi Al-Rakheem east of Yatta in al-Khalil, at the hands of settlers.
On Sunday, two Palestinians were killed after being shot by Israeli settlers while a third died of suffocation by gas fired by Israeli forces in the village of Abu Falah.
