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Fatal shooting near Bethlehem
A Palestinian man was shot dead on Thursday when Israeli settlers returned to rebuild an unauthorized outpost on his family's land south of Bethlehem, according to relatives.
Mohammad al-Malhi, the seventh Palestinian killed in settler-related incidents since late February, was struck in the head, his family said. Israeli soldiers had briefly dismantled the outpost earlier the same day, but settlers rebuilt it after troops left, triggering the confrontation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that a clash erupted between settlers and Palestinians, during which an Israeli civilian fired shots. One person died and three others were wounded.
Elderly man attacked in northern village
Separately, a 75-year-old Palestinian was left bruised and bloodied after settlers raided the village of Tayasir near Tubas on Thursday. Residents said the attackers entered homes and opened fire on young men who tried to intervene.
Video footage shared on social media shows the elderly victim lying injured on the ground following the assault.
Unauthorized outposts expand
In the past 24 hours, settlers have established several new outposts in areas where the Palestinian Authority is meant to exercise full control, local sources reported. Israeli law prohibits Israeli citizens from entering these zones, but enforcement has been inconsistent.
Some outposts were later dismantled by Israeli forces, though others remain standing. Settlements-backed by the Israeli government-are widely considered illegal under international law, while outposts are erected without official authorization.
Government retroactively legalizes outposts
This week, Israel's security cabinet approved the retroactive legalization of 30 outposts across the West Bank, according to Israeli media reports. The move follows a broader trend of accelerated settlement expansion since the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Last year marked a record for settlement growth and planning approvals since the United Nations began monitoring the issue.
Long-standing tensions
Israel has constructed approximately 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since capturing the territories in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians, who number an estimated 3.3 million in the same areas, seek these lands for a future independent state.
