4 Palestinians killed as Israel launches major West Bank military crackdown
Israeli forces impose curfew, surround Nablus and announce extensive raids after deadly confrontation involving armed settlers near Palestinian village
NABLUS, Occupied West Bank (MNTV) — Israeli forces launched a large-scale military operation across the occupied West Bank after a confrontation involving Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents near the village of Tell left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, sharply escalating tensions in the occupied territory.
According to Palestinian officials, local witnesses and media reports, the violence began when armed Israeli settlers entered Tell, southwest of Nablus, near the illegal Israeli settlement of Havat Gilad.
Residents said settlers attempted to enter residential areas, prompting villagers to confront them in an effort to protect their homes and property.
Witnesses said Israeli soldiers were present during the confrontation and later opened fire alongside settlers.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said four Palestinians were killed and several others wounded, including multiple people reported to be in critical condition. The four Palestinians were identified as members of the same extended family.
Israeli authorities said two Israelis, including an army officer, were killed during the incident.
The military claimed the confrontation began after Israeli civilians entered the area for what it described as an unauthorized hike and alleged that a Palestinian seized a weapon from one of the settlers before opening fire.
Palestinian witnesses disputed that account, saying the settlers initiated the violence after entering the village while armed.
After the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, emboldened settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian residents in West Bank, killing herds and destroying their fields, with support of Israeli forces.
Video circulating from the scene appeared to show an armed settler confronting Palestinian residents before a struggle broke out over his rifle.
Following the confrontation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered what his office described as a series of forceful crackdown across the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military announced preparations for an “extensive” counterterrorism operation, surrounded the city of Nablus, imposed movement restrictions, and launched raids in surrounding Palestinian communities.
Israeli forces were also reported to have entered hospitals in Nablus while searching for people wounded during the violence. The military said it intended to arrest dozens of Palestinians it accused of involvement in the incident.
Netanyahu also announced plans to accelerate the legalization of unauthorized settlement outposts and establish additional settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlements in the occupied territory are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes that interpretation.
Palestinian officials said the violence did not end in Tell. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli settlers carried out attacks on several nearby Palestinian villages, setting fire to homes and damaging property.
Residents and local leaders accused Israeli forces of failing to prevent the attacks and, in some cases, providing protection for the settlers.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the killings, accusing Israeli authorities and settlers of acting in coordination against Palestinian civilians. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned that Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem risk pushing the region toward wider instability.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan criticized the government’s response, arguing that calls for expanded military operations and settlement construction would further inflame tensions rather than restore security.
The latest violence adds to growing unrest across the occupied West Bank, where attacks by Israeli settlers, military raids and armed confrontations have intensified alongside the broader regional conflict.
According to Palestinian health authorities, 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of 2026, including 21 reportedly killed by settlers.
United Nations figures also show hundreds of Palestinians have been injured in settler-related attacks during the same period.
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