Hundreds of armed Israeli settlers raided a village in the occupied West Bank on Friday, setting ablaze numerous homes and vehicles, in what Palestinian officials describe as one of the year's most significant settler assaults.
According to CNN, the head of the village council in Al-Mughayyir, Amin Abu-Alia, reported that at least one Palestinian man was fatally shot during the incident.
As per the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, around 25 individuals sustained injuries during the rampage.
The extent of the attack is reminiscent of similar incidents last year when hundreds of settlers stormed through the villages of Turmusayya and Huwara in separate occurrences.
Abu-Alia said Israeli security forces told Palestinian officials that the settlers were searching for a Israeli teenager who had gone missing earlier in the day.
He estimated that about 1,000 to 1,200 settlers surrounded the village, with approximately 500 entering it around midday on Friday, blocking all nearby roads.
Abu-Alia stated that the Israeli military arrived at approximately 3 p.m. local time but did not intervene to stop the settlers attack on the village.
Allegedly, Israeli soldiers permitted the settlers to enter homes, restricted the movement of Palestinian residents, and prevented ambulances from reaching the injured.
On the other hand the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there were "violent riots" in the area after the search for the missing boy, and Israeli forces tried to remove the settlers.
According to IDF, security forces worked to stop the violent riots. During this, rocks were thrown at IDF soldiers, who fired back. Some people were hit.
Also, IDF and Israel Border Police worked to take out Israeli civilians who went into Al Mughayyir, it further added.
Earlier on Friday, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated in a post on X that IDF forces had been working to search for the missing 14-year-old, who was last seen near an Israeli settlement approximately 2 kilometers from Al-Mughayyir.
