At least four Palestinians and two Israelis have been killed in a shooting in the occupied West Bank, marking the deadliest single incident in the territory for several months.
The violence occurred in the northern village of Tal, where Israeli and Palestinian authorities have offered conflicting accounts of what happened.
Palestinian residents said Jewish settlers attacked homes in the village, prompting locals to confront them. Witnesses told the BBC that Israeli soldiers later arrived and opened fire during the clashes.
However, the Israeli military said its forces responded after receiving reports that Israeli hikers had been attacked. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a Palestinian seized a security guard’s weapon and fatally shot him. This happened before he was killed by soldiers. The IDF said the three other Palestinians killed belonged to the same family.
A second Israeli, identified as a soldier, also died during the incident.
The IDF announced it was preparing extensive counterterrorism operations in the area. It later said troops arrested two suspected attackers during a raid on a hospital in Nablus.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to act “with full force” against those responsible. He also announced plans to demolish the home of the suspected Palestinian shooter and accelerate the approval of new settler outposts.
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the killings, accusing Israeli authorities of enabling settler violence. The latest bloodshed comes amid rising tensions and increasing violence across the occupied West Bank since the Gaza war began.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/us-frozen-iranian-assets-shipping-damage-strikes/
