Palestinian baby hurt in settler attack in West Bank, Israeli police arrest five
Jerusalem: Israeli security forces said on Thursday that five Israeli settlers were arrested for their alleged involvement in a violent attack on a Palestinian home in the town of Sair, north of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred late on Wednesday and resulted in injuries to an eight-month-old Palestinian baby girl.
According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the infant suffered moderate injuries to her face and head after a group of armed settlers allegedly threw stones at homes and property in the area. Israeli police confirmed receiving reports of stones being thrown by Israeli civilians towards a Palestinian residence, leading to the injury of the child.
In a statement, Israeli police said a preliminary investigation indicated that several suspects had come from a nearby outpost, referring to Israeli settlements that are not officially recognised by Israeli authorities. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, although some are also illegal under Israeli law before later being retroactively legalised.
A video showing property damage in Sair was circulated on a Telegram group linked to the Hilltop Youth, a hardline settler movement known for advocating direct action against Palestinians. Israeli authorities have previously faced criticism for the lack of accountability in settler-related attacks, with few perpetrators held responsible.
More than 500,000 Israelis currently live in settlements across the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, alongside around three million Palestinians. Violence involving settlers has increased in recent years, according to the United Nations, with October recorded as the deadliest month since monitoring began in 2006.
The escalation in violence has intensified since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing Gaza war. Since then, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops and settlers, including militants and civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures. Israeli authorities report that at least 44 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations during the same period.
(With AFP inputs)