A shooting incident in the northern West Bank village of Tell, located near Nablus, has resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and one Israeli, according to health officials on Friday. The event, which also left several others seriously wounded, is considered the deadliest attack in the region this year, raising concerns about potential retaliatory violence between local Palestinian communities and Israeli-backed settlers.
According to a Palestinian resident, the incident began early Friday morning when Israeli settlers entered the village, followed by the arrival of the Israeli military. The military stated that their presence was in response to a need to assist Israeli hikers. While the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, online footage appears to show multiple individuals, seemingly Palestinians, lying on the ground in a field near the village.
The Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah confirmed that the four deceased Palestinians were members of the same family. Meanwhile, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue services reported the death of an Israeli man in his 30s. Although the rescue service did not specify who killed the man, social media channels associated with settler communities identified him as being from the Havat Gilad settlement. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
In the aftermath, Palestinian health officials reported that they are treating four injured Palestinians, three of whom are in critical condition. Israel’s rescue service stated that two injured Israelis were being airlifted out of the West Bank. The Israeli military has since imposed a temporary cordon around the areas of Nablus and Tell.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with his defense minister and chief of staff to determine a formal response. While the incident has not yet been investigated, a statement from the prime minister's office indicated that Israel intends to act forcefully against those it labeled as terrorists. Concurrently, some Israeli settlers have issued calls for attacks intended to erase the village.
