Israeli settlers storm Al Aqsa, raid homes in West Bank
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Israeli settler violence intensified across the West Bank as settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and Joseph’s Tomb, while Israeli forces continue widespread raids and detainments.
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Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams walk beside occupation army vehicles as people evacuate their homes as the Israeli security forces are preparing to carry out home demolitions in the area, on May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Israeli settler violence intensified across the occupied West Bank on Thursday, with settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and Joseph’s Tomb under heavy protection from occupation forces. The day saw widespread raids, home demolitions, arrests, and the forcible displacement of Palestinian families.
Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds and performed provocative rituals in its courtyards under tight protection from occupation forces. Simultaneously, hundreds of settlers broke into Joseph’s Tomb, east of Nablus, performing similar rituals.
A large Israeli military force, accompanied by bulldozers, entered the eastern part of the city ahead of the incursion and deployed snipers on rooftops surrounding the site to secure the settlers' entry. Occupation forces also prevented Palestinian citizens from accessing the local vegetable market and several nearby streets.
Escalation in Nablus: Mosque targeted, property destroyed
Settlers launched attacks near the towns of Osrin and Aqraba, south of Nablus, setting fire to a Palestinian vehicle and attempting to burn down the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque. Additionally, racist, anti-Palestinian graffiti was spray-painted on the mosque’s walls.
In Qalqilya, Israeli occupation forces stormed the city from its southern entrance and arrested 12 Palestinians, including former detainees. During the operation, the army demolished a house in the city’s eastern area after forcing dozens of families to evacuate. In Salfit, forces raided a house in the town of Bruqin and measured it in preparation for demolition.
On that note, for the past eight days, the towns of Kafr al-Dik and Bruqin have been subjected to continuous Israeli raids involving home vandalism, field interrogations, curfews, and surveillance camera seizures. Military checkpoints were established at the towns' entrances.
In Ramallah, the Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights reported on Thursday that residents of Maghayir al-Deir, east of the city, began dismantling their homes and evacuating the area due to escalating settler violence.
According to the organization, all Palestinian families in the community are leaving amid repeated settler attacks, which include closure of grazing lands, home invasions, harassment of women and children, seizure of vehicles and farming equipment, and theft of livestock. Settlers have also established an outpost in the heart of the area.
Raids and arrests across al-Khalil and Tulkarm
Israeli forces also raided the town of al-Taffuh, west of al-Khalil, arresting a Palestinian man and his son. Several homes were searched and ransacked, and additional raids were reported in Wadi al-Hariya and other areas of al-Khalil.
In Tulkarm, occupation forces arrested a young man in the town of Bal’a and assaulted his brother. Homes were vandalized during the raid.
Forces also stormed Anabta, deploying military vehicles and blocking roads while inspecting IDs at checkpoints. Another Palestinian was arrested Wednesday night at the Anab military checkpoint east of Tulkarm.
In Beit Lahm, Israeli forces attacked Palestinian farmers in the village of Husan, west of the city, preventing them from working their land.
Two young men were arrested during a raid on Aqbat Jabr and Ain al-Sultan refugee camps in Areeha. The forces conducted home searches before withdrawing.
These developments follow a broader pattern of intensified Israeli raids in the West Bank, marked by night raids, home demolitions, mass arrests, and the systemic displacement of Palestinians under settler and military pressure.
