Violence in the West Bank has again risen today after clashed between armed Israeli settlers and groups of Palestinians left two Palestinians dead, and several more injured.
Further Escalations
The West Bank has witnessed frequent clashes between Israeli settler populations and Palestinians in recent days, as gangs of settlers have launched small attacks on various towns. The situation escalated further on April 12th when a 14 year old Israeli boy, Binyamin, was reported to have been kidnapped. He was found dead the next day in a Palestinian area of the West Bank, and is believed to have been murdered.
Following Binyamin’s kidnapping and presumed murder, violence escalated and clashes became more frequent. Gangs of settlers launched more attacks and burned a number of buildings, and agricultural infrastructure. They additionally threw rocks, and some reportedly fired shots.
Today’s clashes took place on farmland in the West Bank’s Khirbet Al-Taweel, which is near Nablus. It is unclear how exactly clashes began, but they ended with two Palestinians being killed, and at least three being injured. Palestinian sources claimed that settlers additionally blocked ambulances from reaching the injured.
Footage of today’s clashes between Israel settlers and Palestinians that left two Palestinians dead and several injured. pic.twitter.com/KsPXpobMZ8
— GHMV2 (@GHMV2Research) April 15, 2024
Notably, Israeli police were present during the clashes.
The deaths of the two Palestinians are likely to further worsen tensions, particularly with Hamas’ call.
Hamas Statement
Hamas has released a statement regarding the matter in which they call for a general mobilization of the West Bank’s populace in order to “escalate all forms of resistance action, and to confront the brutal settlers’ attacks with all force, to deter them and break this criminal wave.”
Hamas has previously made similar calls in the past. Given the context of recent tensions within the West Bank, it is unclear exactly how many people will answer Hamas’ call, however it is sure to raise tensions even further.
Hamas’ full statement may be read below:
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful
Press Statement
We call for escalating popular anger and activating all forms of resistance to deter settlers from their crimes in the West Bank
The settler militias persisted in their attacks on villages and towns in the West Bank, which today resulted in the death of two young men and the injury of a number of other citizens, as a result of a new barbaric attack on Khirbet al-Tawil, east of the town of Aqraba, southeast of Nablus. It is a continuation of the series of crimes sponsored by the Nazi occupation government and its criminal leaders, who incite the blood and resources of our people.
As we bleed the two heroic martyrs, we affirm that this blood will not be in vain, but rather will produce vengeance and fire that will burn the occupation and its herds of settlers. The steadfastness and determination of our people are not deterred by the massacres or the oppression of the occupation, whose attempts to suppress the resistance in the West Bank have failed.
The organized and escalating attacks of settler militias on citizens and their property, and their use of live bullets directly towards citizens, is a dangerous escalation and evidence of the brutality of the occupation, its shedding of Palestinian blood and its overwhelming desire to displace them from their land to implement its malicious plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
We call on all our people in the brave West Bank to intensify and escalate all forms of resistance action, and to confront the brutal settlers’ attacks with all force, to deter them and break this criminal wave.
Hamas Islamic Resistance Movement
