Palestinian teens killed during settler attack on West Bank village, officials say

Israeli police have apprehended a 19-year-old suspect in connection with a recent settler attack on the West Bank village of Qusra. The incident occurred on Saturday, during which dozens of Israeli settlers subjected Palestinian residents to stone-throwing and barricaded themselves inside a residence while Palestinians were present. The army intervened to address the situation.

Last month, a group of settlers impeded the delivery of supplies to Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Qusra, trapping residents inside. This led to significant backlash from the US ambassador to Israel and the UK's foreign secretary, who denounced the violence as appalling.

The arrested suspect, a Samaria resident, has been taken for questioning, and the police expect to request an extension of his detention during a subsequent court hearing. The police and the Internal Security Service (ISA) are conducting a joint investigation to gather evidence and testimony in order to locate and arrest all individuals involved in this serious incident.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, labeling it as criminal acts of aggression. Violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has been a recurring issue for years, often without legal repercussions. However, recent months have witnessed a surge in such attacks.

Approximately 500,000 Israelis reside in settlements within the Palestinian territory, which are deemed illegal under international law. The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. According to an AFP tally, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 1,105 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, including both militants and civilians.

Israeli figures indicate that at least 48 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed during the same period due to Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations.