Israeli authorities have detained four individuals in connection with a violent incident in the West Bank that occurred nearly six weeks ago. The arrests were made on Wednesday, marking a significant development in a case where troops were attacked while escorting a displaced Palestinian family back to their home in the Nablus area. The incident highlights the ongoing tension and sporadic violence across the territory.
Police announced that two teenagers from Jerusalem and Netivot, alongside two settlers from the northern West Bank, were taken into custody for their role in the September 29 attack. The teenagers, aged 16 and 17, appeared before a judge and were released under strict conditions, including a 60-day order to stay away from the location. The two adult settlers, who are 21 and 25 years old, are scheduled to appear before a judge in the coming days. Previously, police had identified three other teenage suspects in the case, bringing the total number of minors involved to five.
The attack on the troops involved more than 100 participants and resulted in three Border Police officers sustaining light injuries. The soldiers had been tasked with returning a family to their village after they were displaced due to persistent harassment by extremist settlers. The detention of these four suspects is part of a broader effort to hold those responsible for the disruption of the escort mission.
In a separate move, the Israel Defense Forces announced the demolition of four illegal outposts in the West Bank over the preceding two days. The military stated that soldiers and Border Police evacuated the structures, which were located near the Palestinian villages of Burqa, Wadi Rahim, and Jalud. The IDF noted that these outposts were identified as sources of repeated violent acts and illegal activity against Palestinians. The structures, described as lacking adequate infrastructure and living conditions, included tents and temporary buildings.
During the evacuation operation near Burqa, troops encountered barricades constructed from burning tires, rocks, and spikes placed by settlers. These obstacles damaged two military vehicles. The IDF reported that settlers also threw stones at the forces and carried out arson attacks in the village. After clearing the barricades and restoring order, the army handed over three detained Israeli civilians to the police. Investigators then entered the village with military escort to collect evidence for the ongoing inquiry.
Violence continued in other parts of the West Bank as well. Overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, settlers allegedly set fire to vehicles at a car lot in Luban ash-Sharqiya, south of Nablus. Footage from the scene showed a large fire that was eventually extinguished by Palestinian firefighters. While no serious injuries were reported, some individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. The Palestinian Authority news agency WAFA reported that more than 100 vehicles, dozens of olive trees, and a storage facility were destroyed, with damage estimated at over NIS 1 million, or approximately $315,000.
Later on Wednesday, WAFA reported that a 42-year-old Palestinian woman named Samar Tareq Yousef Zidan suffered a head injury after being struck by stones during an attack on her family's olive harvest in the Deir Istiya area. She was with her husband and children at the time of the incident. Separately, police stated that three Palestinian terror suspects were apprehended overnight in the West Bank. Two of the suspects are affiliated with Hamas. Undercover Border Police officers raided the towns of Urif and Qabalan following intelligence from the Shin Bet, arresting the men at three simultaneous locations.
Palestinian health officials also reported the death of a 14-year-old boy, Mu’taz Iyad Daghlas, who was shot by Israeli troops near Nablus on Monday night. The army stated that it opened fire on stone-throwers near Burqa, where stones had previously been thrown at Israeli cars. The IDF said it identified hits after responding to the danger. WAFA added that a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old were wounded in the same incident, and that the boy’s father, three Red Crescent medics, and another man were detained in the aftermath.
