Settler raid in Nablus injures at least 10, including four children
At least 10 people, including four children, were injured when a settler raid in Nablus’s Junaid neighbourhood, accompanied by Israeli forces, sparked clashes and the use of tear gas and live ammunition.
At least 10 injured in Junaid settler raid
Local sources reported that at least 10 Palestinians were injured during a raid by settlers with the accompaniment of Israeli forces in the Junaid neighbourhood west of Nablus.
Medical workers and residents said the wounded included four children, with some cases described as serious and others treated for injuries consistent with crowd-control measures and blunt-force impacts.
Authorities on the Palestinian side are compiling lists of the injured, while local media outlets documented ambulances arriving at the scene and residents assisting those affected.
Tear gas deployed, residents report suffocation
Witnesses said members of the group deployed tear gas in residential streets, leaving multiple residents suffering from suffocation and respiratory distress.
Several people were treated at nearby clinics for the effects of inhalation, according to local reporting, which described the atmosphere as chaotic during and after the raid.
Residents said the canisters were fired in densely populated areas, increasing the risk to children and older adults in the neighbourhood.
Live ammunition fired in Tell to protect settlers
In a separate incident early Friday, Israeli forces fired live ammunition at crowds in the town of Tell, southwest of Nablus, reportedly to provide protection for settlers during their movement through the area.
Local accounts indicated that rounds were directed near groups of civilians, prompting panic and sending residents to seek cover; no independent confirmation was immediately available of fatalities from that specific exchange.
The use of live fire in populated towns has further heightened fear among residents already facing repeated incursions.
Widespread raids and property damage across the occupied West Bank
Local media said dozens of settlers and Israeli forces conducted simultaneous operations across several towns in the occupied West Bank on the same day.
Those raids were accompanied by damage to Palestinian properties, including reports of homes and vehicles vandalized or harmed during confrontations.
The coordinated nature of the movements and the reported extent of property damage drew concern from community leaders who described the incidents as part of an intensifying pattern of settler activity.
Arrests and security operations reported
Multiple arrests were reported during the operations, with residents and local outlets listing several Palestinians taken into custody during the raids.
Officials on the Palestinian side have called for information on those detained and urged that any detainees be treated in accordance with legal norms and afforded access to legal representation.
Israeli authorities typically describe such operations as security measures; in this case, the presence of settlers accompanying forces was noted as a factor in several local accounts.
Medical response and access to care
Health workers in the affected areas mobilized to treat the wounded, but described challenges in reaching some neighbourhoods amid ongoing security operations.
Clinics and emergency responders reported treating injuries from gas exposure, contusions and other trauma, while coordinating transfers for those needing more advanced care.
Humanitarian actors and local health coordinators said disruptions to movement during raids can impede timely medical assistance and exacerbate the risk to vulnerable patients.
Regional tensions and legal context
The incidents occurred against a backdrop of recurring tensions in the occupied West Bank, where settler-hosted incursions and security operations have periodically escalated into violence.
Under international law, the occupied status of the West Bank frames obligations for the protection of civilians; local leaders reiterated calls for independent investigations into the recent raids and the use of force.
Observers and rights groups monitoring the situation have previously raised concerns about patterns of collective punishment and the safety of civilians during escort operations for settlers.
Residents said the latest wave of raids deepened fears over daily life and property security, with families recounting harrowing scenes during the incursions.
Calls for restraint and clarification from both Israeli authorities and international observers were reported, as community leaders sought accountability and measures to prevent further incidents.
The events in Junaid, Tell and other West Bank towns mark the latest flare-up in a series of confrontations that have left civilians injured and communities alarmed, underscoring the fragile security and humanitarian conditions on the ground.
