Extremist Jewish settlers have carried out a spate of attacks on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to homes, vehicles, and agricultural fields.
The violence began after a teenage settler - 18-year-old Yehuda Sherman - was killed on Saturday, after reportedly being hit by a vehicle driven by a Palestinian while on his quad bike. Police said they were investigating whether the hit was deliberate or accidental.
In response, WhatsApp groups used by settlers called for a revenge campaign over his death. More than 20 settler attacks were reported overnight, according to a defense official cited by Israeli media.
Settler violence has surged since the US and Israel attacked Iran, with six Palestinians killed by settlers since March 1, according to the United Nations (UN).
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops and border police units were dispatched to several Palestinian villages on Saturday night after reports of Israeli civilians committing acts of arson against structures and property.
The villages of Jalud, Qaryut, al-Funduqmiya, and Silat al-Dhah were among those targeted. Footage shared online, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show more than 90 individuals wearing black, many of them masked, running into Jalud.
In a brutal night of violence, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least three Palestinians suffered head wounds and were taken to the hospital after confronting the attackers in Jalud.
Israeli media reported that one post in a WhatsApp group used by settlers read: Jews won't remain silent over spilled Jewish blood. Another read: We demand vengeance and expulsion of the enemy.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the assault, which involved burning homes and property, terrorizing and killing civilians, and targeting vital roads, junctions, and main streets during Eid al-Fitr.
Israeli police announced that border guards had arrested five individuals near the village of Deir al-Hatab, while also stating that several Israeli civilians attacked security forces near the Itamar settlement.
Yesh Din, an Israeli civil rights group, called the attacks a night of pogroms and criticized the failure of security forces to prevent the violence: No preventive measures were put in place to stop the pogroms.
During the funeral of Yehuda Sherman, attended by over 500 people including prominent far-right figures, protests continued across the occupied West Bank as reports of further attacks began to emerge.
