IOF escalate raids in Tulkarm, settlers torch homes in Deir Dibwan
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Israeli forces raided Tulkarm homes and shops in a sweeping assault, while settlers torched houses in Deir Dibwan, injuring ten Palestinians.
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Israeli soldiers deployed in Tulkarm, West Bank, ahead of planned home demolitions by Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP)
Israeli occupation forces, as part of their war on the West Bank and its refugee camps, targeted the Tulkarm governorate with large-scale raids and searches in the eastern suburb of Iktaba. The assault included the storming of residential homes and commercial properties, accompanied by widespread vandalism and arbitrary searches of residents.
According to local sources, Israeli forces raided 22 homes and eight commercial stores in central Iktaba, particularly around the main roundabout and the old quarter known as Harat al-Mukhtar, as well as areas surrounding the local municipal council.
Witnesses reported that occupation soldiers deliberately ransacked homes, broke into properties, and conducted destructive searches. Citizens were detained and subjected to physical searches, with identity cards and mobile phones inspected on-site.
Additionally, occupation forces sealed off the main road leading to the Iktaba Taxi Office from the afternoon hours, paralyzing transportation across the area. Surveillance footage from a nearby pharmacy was also seized.
These actions are part of an ongoing and systematic escalation in Tulkarm, which has witnessed near-daily incursions, particularly in the city’s neighborhoods and refugee camps, including Nur Shams. Earlier Wednesday, occupation forces demolished multiple residential buildings in the camp.
Settlers launch violent attacks in Deir Dibwan, 10 injured
Meanwhile, dozens of settlers launched a coordinated attack on Palestinian homes in the town of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah. They set fire to three houses, an agricultural area known as Azbat Abu Shahada, and several vehicles and livestock shelters.
According to reports by the Palestinian news agency WAFA, settlers trapped residents inside their homes and blocked ambulances and fire trucks from accessing the area. They also hurled stones at passing Palestinian vehicles on the town’s main road.
The violent assault left ten Palestinians injured. Two were hospitalized, while the remaining victims received treatment at a local clinic.
Red Crescent confirms assault injuries
The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed its medics treated two individuals who were physically assaulted by settlers during the rampage. Five others received first aid in Deir Dibwan’s medical center.
Settlers from a colonial outpost established in Deir Dibwan and nearby Burqa also extended their attacks to the neighboring village of Beitin. They attempted to set fire to additional homes and property.
WAFA sources confirmed that Israeli occupation forces provided protection to the settlers, closing the town’s entrance and preventing residents from entering or exiting.
