Daijiworld Media Network- Ramallah
Ramallah, May 24: In a fresh wave of escalating violence, Israeli settlers allegedly launched a violent attack on the Palestinian town of Bruqin in the occupied West Bank on Friday night, setting vehicles and houses ablaze and physically assaulting residents. The incident marks yet another grim chapter in the growing unrest engulfing the region.
According to Reuters, the overnight assault has left several families in anguish, with reports of Molotov cocktails being hurled at properties and brutal beatings of Palestinians who resisted. Akram Sabra, a resident of Bruqin, recounted the horror: “I saw my vehicles were burned and then they beat me on the head and I am still dizzy.”
The brutal attack comes in the wake of the killing of a pregnant Israeli woman, Tzeela Gez, in the same area earlier this month. In response to her death, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that a lockdown was enforced in Bruqin and surrounding areas. The IDF also claimed to have neutralised her attacker, though tensions have only worsened since.
Palestinians in the region allege that since Gez's death, settlers—emboldened and increasingly aggressive—have ramped up attacks. “They come at us almost on a daily basis, even sometimes several times a day,” said Mustafa Khater, a 45-year-old resident, describing a constant state of fear among locals.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented 28 incidents of settler violence in the Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik regions just in the week leading up to May 19. Over 11,000 Palestinians have reportedly been affected by road closures, access restrictions, and direct attacks.
The West Bank, under Israeli military occupation since 1967, remains a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the territory illegal under international law, Israel continues to expand its presence citing historical and biblical claims.
Meanwhile, violence continues unabated in the Gaza Strip. In the last 24 hours, Israeli offensives have claimed at least 60 lives, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave. With hospitals in disarray and aid entering at a trickle, the situation for civilians grows increasingly dire.
As global calls for de-escalation grow louder, the ground reality in Palestine paints a picture of deepening despair and a humanitarian crisis teetering on the brink.