Israeli settlers launch fresh attacks after rampage

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Days after they rampaged through the Palestinian villages, torching cars and houses, a large group of marauding settlers on Thursday hurled stones at passing vehicles in the north of the occupied West Bank.

Settlers resorted to aggressive tactics after being stopped by the IOF on their way to the illegal "Evyatar" outpost, according to Israeli media reports. 

The latest attack comes days after Israeli settlers protested in the occupied West Bank, causing chaos by torching dozens of houses and cars.

As a result of a ferocious attack on Sunday, one Palestinian was killed and at least 29 were injured. Additionally, Palestinian media reported numerous stabbings and attacks with rocks and metal rods. Reports suggest that settlers were angered by the killing of two illegal Israeli settlers by a Palestinian freedom fighter in Huwara defending his homeland against occupation. 

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As settlers took to the streets again Thursday night, throwing stones at cars belonging to Palestinian residents, Israeli occupation forces refused to intervene to stop them, in line with the usual operating procedure of being the facilitators of settler attacks and aggression. 

As tensions rise, Palestinians in the north of the occupied West Bank have launched night patrols to ward off attacks by Israeli settlers.

Young men gathered at Turmus Ayya, armed with sticks and flashlights, ready to raise the alarm in the event of an Israeli raid, according to AFP. 

One of the men was quoted saying, "we do not intend to attack anyone -- we work to defend our people and our village, our home, our land, and our honor," adding that "these are our weapons -- sticks and flashlights -- and we have nothing but them to defend ourselves."

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Yesterday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that a 15-year-old Palestinian teenager was killed and two others were injured by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Azzun, in the occupied West Bank province of Qalqilya.

A total of 496 incidents of settler violence against Palestinians occurred in 2021, according to UN figures, including 370 attacks that resulted in property damage and 126 attacks that resulted in injuries and three of which were fatal.

That said, at least 68 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli forces and settlers' attacks since the start of 2023.

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