Arson attack on mosque in At-Tuwani – Investigation against settlers in the West Bank

Israeli police said that, following reports of ongoing violence, they had deployed forces to the village. In addition, an "investigation into the circumstances of the incident" had been launched. Rabie confirmed that representatives of the Israeli army, police, and fire department had inspected the crime scene.

Reaction of the authorities

Palestinian activist Ossama Mahamra reported meanwhile that the settlers' attack had taken place in front of the eyes of Israeli soldiers – after all, an Israeli army watchtower had been located in close proximity. This was reported by Kathpress.

According to observers, the situation has been escalating since the attack by the Hamas terror group on October 7, 2023. The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had recently stated that the number of acts of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank had reached an "unprecedented level." On average, there are six attacks per day.

Background: Violence in the West Bank

Since the major Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and in the course of the war in the Gaza Strip triggered by it, violence has also increased significantly in the West Bank. According to an AFP count based on data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 1,088 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7, 2023. According to Israeli figures, at least 46 Israelis – soldiers and civilians – were killed in the West Bank during the same period.

Only on Saturday, a 17-year-old youth football player had succumbed to injuries inflicted on him by an Israeli settler a week earlier, according to Palestinian accounts. In early June, the human rights organization Amnesty International accused Israel of ethnic cleansing.

Settler violence has existed for years. The specific incident occurred on the night of the day the report was published. (APA, 19.7.2026) The fire overnight into today in the village of At-Tuwani is said to have been set by Israeli settlers, according to local media reports.