Settlers shoot Palestinian critically near Hebron as West Bank violence spikes

2026-02-26 - 10:52

A Palestinian man was critically wounded Thursday after illegal Israeli settlers opened fire on his vehicle south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian media reported, as settler violence intensifies during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The attack near Umm Qussa in the Masafer Yatta region marks the latest in a sharp escalation of assaults against Palestinian civilians. Details of the Attack According to the official Wafa news agency, a group of armed settlers chased a vehicle carrying several Palestinians and opened fire, critically wounding a 35-year-old man with shots to the head, hand, and leg. Israeli forces later raided the area, detained the other passengers briefly before releasing them, and handed the wounded man over to Palestinian Red Crescent crews. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed his condition as "very critical" and transferred him to hospital for treatment. The settlers seized the vehicle and withdrew toward a settlement outpost built on Palestinian land in the Khirbet Khashm al-Daraj area. Escalating Violence The attack comes amid a marked rise in illegal settler violence and Israeli army raids across Palestinian towns since the Gaza war began on October 8, 2023. Israeli forces and settlers have intensified operations throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, involving killings, arrests, property destruction, home demolitions, displacement, and settlement expansion. According to Palestinian figures, at least 1,117 Palestinians have been killed, approximately 11,500 wounded, and nearly 22,000 arrested since October 2023. International Law Context Palestinians warn that the escalating violence and settlement expansion pave the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, which would extinguish prospects for an independent Palestinian state as envisioned in United Nations resolutions. The international community and United Nations regard the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as occupied Palestinian territory and consider Israeli settlements there illegal under international law. The shooting of civilians during Ramadan underscores the volatile situation on the ground as diplomatic efforts continue to address the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.