以色列定居者在被占领的西岸地区纵火焚烧两座清真寺，并在建筑物上喷涂希伯来文标语。[1][2][3]这些清真寺位于西岸北部的库斯拉村和库尔村。[2][3]库斯拉村委会主席阿卜杜勒·阿齐姆·瓦迪表示，两座清真寺"处于最后阶段已准备好接待信徒，已配置了沙发"，但被纵火并被喷涂了涂鸦。[1]其中一座清真寺被喷涂"复仇贝纳亚胡"和"以色列土地用鲜血救赎"的字样。[2]
这些攻击被认为是对前一天发生的冲突事件的报复。[1]周五在塔勒村的冲突导致4名巴勒斯坦人和2名以色列士兵死亡。[1][3]以色列军方表示"强烈谴责这类事件，包括对宗教场所的伤害"，并承诺"继续坚定行动以维持该地区的安全和公共秩序"。[1]据报道，以色列军方在周末逮捕了70多至130多名巴勒斯坦人。[2][3]
根据多个来源的数据，自2023年10月7日以来，西岸地区至少1097至1114名巴勒斯坦人被以色列定居者和安全部队杀害。[1][3]巴勒斯坦卫生部称，仅在今年就有87名巴勒斯坦人在西岸被杀，其中21人遭定居者杀害。[2]同期间，41至48名以色列平民和安全部队成员丧生。[3][1]西岸地区约有300万巴勒斯坦人，而50多万至70多万以色列人居住在定居点。[1][2][3]
Israeli settlers torched two mosques in the northern West Bank on July 26, with the attacks occurring in the villages of Qusra and Kour near Nablus.[1][2][3] The mosques sustained extensive damage, and Hebrew-language graffiti was sprayed on the walls, including slogans reading "Revenge Benayahu" and "Israeli land redeemed with blood."[2] According to the village council chairman of Qusra, Abdul Azim Wadi, the mosques had been in their final preparation stages to receive worshippers when settlers set the fires and vandalized them.[1]
The arson attacks came in the aftermath of a deadly confrontation on Friday that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, with Palestinian officials and Israeli opposition figures attributing the settler violence to a lack of government restraint.[2][3] The Israeli military condemned the incidents, stating it "strongly denounces such events, including damage to religious sites, and will continue to act firmly to maintain security and public order in the region."[1] Israeli forces arrested over 70 Palestinians in connection with weekend violence, while the military conducted counterterrorism operations that resulted in more than 130 arrests according to one account.[2][3]
The violence reflects escalating tensions in the occupied territory, where the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that 87 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, with 21 deaths attributed to settler attacks.[2] Since October 7, 2023, at least 1,097 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and security forces in the West Bank.[1] The region is home to approximately three million Palestinians alongside over 700,000 Israeli settlers living in settlements.[1][2][3]