Feb 13 • 15:45 UTC 🇶🇦 Qatar Al Jazeera

With bullets and gas canisters... Palestinians recount settler attacks on them in Nablus

Palestinians in Nablus describe settler attacks involving gunfire and gas canisters, amidst protection by Israeli security forces.

Palestinians have detailed a violent attack by settlers on the village of Tel-fit, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, involving gunfire and gas canisters, and damage to homes and vehicles. Eyewitness accounts gathered by Al Jazeera highlight that the assault began with an ambush on farmers as they were heading to their lands, resulting in injuries to several citizens. It was reported that settlers, armed and having established a new outpost on 'Ein Einah' mountain between Tel-fit and Qusra, raided the village while the Israeli occupation forces reportedly provided cover for them.

One former prisoner, Qutayba Muslim, described how the attackers, heavily armed, initiated gunfire and used gas canisters while clashes erupted between the young men of the village—this confrontation, termed the 'mosque battle' by locals—saw Israeli forces trapping citizens inside a mosque during Friday prayers, blocking their movement and leaving them vulnerable amid the chaos. Another victim, Muhammad al-Razi from occupied Jerusalem, recounted the distressing experience where the attack occurred just after his infant daughter had been discharged from the hospital, as settlers damaged his vehicle and opened fire towards homes, leaving one individual seriously injured.

The implications of these violent encounters are profound, reflecting the ongoing tensions in the region, particularly the perilous situation for Palestinians living under occupation. Such incidents not only incite fear but also highlight the disparity in protection and rights between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers, drawing attention to the urgent need for intervention and resolution amidst escalating violence and unrest in the occupied territories.

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