Palestinians reported that Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque and a factory in the occupied West Bank overnight, a day after the incident. An AFP journalist observed scorch marks on the mosque's entrance and Hebrew graffiti on its walls, amid a surge in settler attacks on Palestinian communities since the Gaza war began in late 2023.
Mohammed Rabie, the head of Al-Tuwani village council, stated that over two dozen settlers, some of them masked, attacked the Al-Taqwa mosque and set it ablaze. The assailants also reportedly torched two houses and a dairy factory, defacing the mosque's walls with Hebrew graffiti. Rabie indicated that villagers emerged from their homes, prompting the settlers to flee. Local volunteers managed to contain the fire before it could spread further.
Photographs from the scene depicted a child and an elderly man examining the charred entrance and windows of the mosque, with portions of a prayer carpet also damaged. The dairy factory, operated by women from the Masafer Yatta community, sustained significant damage, according to Rabie.
The Israeli police confirmed deployment to the village following a report of suspects causing damage, including a vehicle fire, damage to a prayer structure's door, and graffiti. An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing. Palestinian activist Osama Makhamra claimed the attack occurred "in full view of the Israeli army," noting the proximity of an Israeli military watchtower.
Rabie reported that Israeli army, police, and fire service personnel arrived approximately thirty minutes after the incident to assess the damage to the mosque and other properties. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs condemned the arson as a "full-fledged terrorist act," accusing the Israeli government of fostering settler violence to displace Palestinians and escalate the conflict into a religious war.
A recent United Nations report highlighted that Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank has reached "unprecedented" levels, with an average of six daily attacks resulting in casualties or property destruction. The occupied West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, is home to approximately three million Palestinians and over 500,000 Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
