WEST BANK, (PIC)
In a serious field incident, a group of armed settlers stormed the area surrounding the boys’ school in the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, on Tuesday in the middle of a regular school day, opening live fire at students and residents.
The attack resulted in the killing of 14-year-old Aws Hamdi al-Naasan, a ninth-grade student, along with 32-year-old Jihad Marzouq Abu Naeem. Three others were injured with varying degrees of wounds and were taken to the hospital.
The killing carries added significance given the personal circumstances of al-Naasan, whose father was killed five years ago under similar conditions, reflecting a recurring pattern of targeting Palestinian families across generations.
The attack on the school, supposed to be a safe space, came just hours after another nighttime assault targeted the Al-Maleh school and led to its destruction, indicating a clear expansion in the scale of violence carried out by settler militias under the protection and backing of Israeli forces.
In a separate incident, 16-year-old Mohammed Majdi al-Jabari was killed after being run over by a settler north of al-Khalil.
Al-Mughayyir under continuous pressure
Field data indicates that the village of Al-Mughayyir has been under effective siege for more than two years, with its eastern entrance completely closed, forcing residents to rely on a single western access point under heavy monitoring.
In recent weeks, human rights organizations have documented a series of settler attacks, including assaults on civilian vehicles, shootings that injured residents, and the burning of agricultural facilities in nearby areas, including the village of Abu Falah.
This pattern of attacks reflects a systematic escalation targeting daily life in the village, from education to movement and work, placing residents under constant pressure that threatens their stability and personal safety.
Run-over attack raises questions of responsibility
In a separate case in al-Khalil, 16-year-old Mohammed Majdi al-Jabari was killed after being run over by a vehicle driven by a settler. The incident gained further gravity after reports indicated that the vehicle belonged to an Israeli minister, suggesting official involvement in crimes against Palestinians, especially in light of policies allowing the arming of settlers and providing them protection during acts of violence.
Overlap between army and settlers
Eyewitness accounts and local sources indicate that Israeli forces were present during several attacks on Al-Mughayyir, where they fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse residents attempting to confront the attackers.
Observers say this overlap between the occupying forces and settlers complicates the situation on the ground, creating a reality in which Palestinian civilians face multiple sources of threat simultaneously.
Figures reflect widespread escalation
Data from the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission shows that March 2026 alone recorded 1,819 attacks, including 497 carried out directly by settlers.
In the first half of 2025, the number of attacks exceeded 11,280, while United Nations estimates indicate that more than 3,200 Palestinians have been displaced since October 2023 due to settler violence.
Geographically, the attacks were widely distributed, with al-Khalil recording 321 incidents, followed by Nablus with 315, Ramallah and al-Bireh with 292, and Jerusalem with 203, reflecting the widespread nature of the violence across the West Bank.
In the same context, the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that settler attacks are now increasingly carried out openly during daylight hours, whereas they were previously mostly limited to nighttime, indicating a shift in both the nature and boldness of these assaults.
Forced displacement as a direct consequence
On-the-ground realities show that repeated violence and terror carried out by settlers are leading to ongoing waves of internal displacement.
In February 2026, eleven Bedouin families, totaling more than 50 people, were forced to leave their homes in Al-Mughayyir after previously being displaced from the Ein Samia community under similar conditions.
Local responses and calls for action
Amid this escalation, calls have emerged to increase on-the-ground presence in targeted villages, strengthen community support initiatives, and establish local protection committees capable of coordinating and responding quickly.
In a statement, Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to escalate confrontation with what it described as a “criminal occupation,” to use all forms of resistance, and to activate the role of popular protection committees in targeted areas to strengthen the ability of communities to confront and deter settler attacks.
It also called on the international community and people of conscience worldwide to assume their legal, humanitarian, and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to stop settler violence, hold the Israeli government accountable for its violations and atrocities, and end the support and cover provided for these attacks.