Israeli occupiers torch Palestinian property in West Bank villages

RAMALLAH, Palestine/ISTANBUL

Israeli occupiers attacked the Palestinian towns of Qusra and Jalud in southern Nablus on Saturday in the occupied West Bank, opening fire and setting property ablaze, according to Palestinian media and witnesses.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said occupiers attacked Qusra, triggering confrontations with residents.

The agency said the attackers attempted to storm homes in the western part of the town before Israeli forces entered. No injuries were immediately reported.

Palestine Voice Radio later published images showing fires burning in facilities in Qusra.

The broadcaster also reported a simultaneous attack by Israeli occupiers on the outskirts of Jalud in southeastern Nablus.

Witnesses told Anadolu that occupiers opened fire during the attacks and torched poultry farms between Qusra and Jalud.

Israel has intensified operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since launching a military campaign in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinians view the escalation, including killings, arrests, displacement and settlement expansion, as a step toward the formal annexation of the territory.

In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref