Burnt cars, shattered homes: Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in Bruqin

Israeli settlers on Friday burned down Palestinian vehicles and houses in the Bruqin region of the occupied West Bank. According to Reuters, "instances of physical abuse of Palestinians by the settlers have also been reported.

The latest in a string of attacks follows the killing of a pregnant woman earlier this month in the same vicinity.

Palestinians complained that a large group of settlers showed up in the night and threw Molotov cocktails and physically abused people. Those who live in the area expressed grievance that they are constantly facing abuse from the settlers.


There has been an escalation in violence in the West Bank as the Israeli military has been carrying out large-scale offensives that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and driven thousands out of their homes.

As OCHA, a United Nations humanitarian organisation, reported that more than 11,000 Palestinians in the regions of Bruqin, Kafr ad-Dik were blocked with 28 incidents of violence reported in the week till May 19.

As reported by Reuters, Akram Sabra, a resident of Burqin, said, “I saw my vehicles were burned and then they beat me on the head and I am still dizzy.”

Upon receiving a report on the vandalism of property by Israelis, the Israeli military said that the IDF ( Israeli Defence Force) soldiers were dispatched. The IDF also imposed a lockdown in and around the Bruqin region after the killing of the heavily pregnant Tzeela Gez.

IDF claims that they have killed her attacker.

Since Gez’s death, Palestinians have reported an increase in instances of attacks and abuse against them. Mustafa Khater, 45, said, “They come at us almost on a daily basis, even sometimes several times a day,".

The West Bank has been under military occupation since 1967, when the Israeli forces gained control of it after the Middle East War. Palestinians want the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, as the core of a future independent state.

In most countries, settlement is considered illegal, but Israel refutes it as they cite historical and biblical reasons.

In the past 24 hours, a fresh offensive has killed at least 60 across the Gaza Strip. With a highly paralysed healthcare system and minimal aid entry, Palestinians are battling a catastrophic humanitarian crisis every day.