Tel Aviv: Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has reportedly increased as military movement restrictions imposed during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran limit access to affected areas, according to rights groups and medical officials.
Since the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, at least five Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. A sixth man died after reportedly inhaling tear gas during an incident, according to Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem.
Israeli forces closed numerous roads across the West Bank at the start of the war, installing iron gates and earth barriers and restricting crossings into Israel. The Israeli military says the measures are preventive steps while it continues military operations against Iran and the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah, which has fired missiles toward Israel in support of Tehran.
However, residents in remote Palestinian villages say the restrictions have left them vulnerable to attacks by settlers and delayed emergency response. According to Palestinian Red Crescent Society spokesperson Ahmed Jibril, roadblocks and security obstacles have slowed ambulances attempting to reach the injured.
One of the latest incidents occurred in the village of Abu Falah, north of Ramallah, where residents and officials say two Palestinians were shot dead by settlers before dawn. A third person later died after exposure to tear gas during the clash.
Witnesses said more than 100 settlers gathered near the village, prompting locals to organize protection groups through messaging networks. Initial confrontations involved stone throwing, but the situation escalated when armed settlers allegedly opened fire.
The Israeli military said it has launched an investigation into the incident and condemned “violence of any kind.”
Monitoring group Yesh Din reported more than 109 incidents of settler violence since the start of the war with Iran, including shootings, assaults and property damage. In some cases, settlers were reportedly wearing Israeli military uniforms.
Palestinian communities have long accused Israeli forces of failing to protect villagers from settler attacks, an allegation the military denies.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise over settlement expansion. Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have supported the expansion of Jewish settlements across the West Bank, arguing it strengthens Israel’s hold on the territory.
According to international estimates, more than 700,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem among more than three million Palestinians. Much of the international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.
The situation has further complicated Palestinian aspirations for an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem—territories Israel captured during the Six-Day War.
