A Palestinian man has been killed and others seriously injured in separate settler attacks in the occupied West Bank. Locals report several new outposts—clusters of settler homes unauthorized by the government—have been established in areas where the Palestinian Authority is meant to have full control. Settler violence has significantly surged since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran at the end of February.

Mohammad al-Malhi was the seventh Palestinian killed in this period. His family claims he was shot in the head by settlers who erected an outpost on their land near Bethlehem. After Israeli soldiers attempted to dismantle the outpost, settlers returned after their departure, leading to the fatal shooting.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported a clash between settlers and Palestinians, resulting in one death and three injuries. Circulating video footage depicts another attack where a 75-year-old man was brutally assaulted in his home after settlers raided his village and opened fire.

This rise in settler violence follows a trend seen during the Gaza war triggered by Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, and it is accompanied by rapid settlement growth approved by the Israeli government. Last year set a record for settlement expansions and approvals since UN monitoring began. All settlements are deemed illegal under international law, exemplifying a complex and contentious issue in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.