Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians in West Bank amid settler attacks

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces arrested nearly 50 Palestinians on Saturday in Tal, a village southwest of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, after a deadly shooting there the previous day. The outlet said troops searched about 70 homes as part of what Israel’s military called an extensive operation. The crackdown followed an attack near the Havat Gilad settlement, described by Al Jazeera as illegal, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded.

According to the report, four Palestinians were also killed in Tal on Friday, and residents said funerals were held overnight because Israeli authorities did not allow daytime ceremonies and limited attendance. Al Jazeera said accounts of the shooting remain disputed. It cited footage showing armed settlers confronting Palestinians and another video in which a Palestinian man appeared to take a settler’s gun before shooting him, after which Israeli soldiers killed the Palestinian.

The article said raids also took place in Jenin, Tubas, Far’a refugee camp, Far’ata near Qalqilya, Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho and Kobar near Ramallah. It cited Palestinian and regional media reports of home searches, troop deployments and injuries in Far’ata. Witnesses and sources told Al Jazeera that settlers attacked Palestinian communities in the Nablus governorate, including by setting fire to homes and property.

Al Jazeera also reported that UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese condemned attacks on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and called for an arms embargo and a halt to trade with Israel. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in the West Bank since the start of the year, including 21 by settlers.