60 Palestinians injured by Israeli violence in Nablus region

At least 60 Palestinians were injured by Israeli settler violence on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Nablus region, north of the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

Eight Palestinians were injured on Tuesday during an Israeli settler attack on the village of Burqa, north-west of Nablus, while the Israeli army injured 52 Palestinians on Wednesday, in the Palestinian town of Huwarah, south of Nablus.

"Settlers walked up to the hill where the village cemetery is located late on Tuesday, escorted by Israeli soldiers," Ghassan Daghlas, civil activist and resident of Burqa told The New Arab.

#urgent| Local sources: Settlers attack the village of Burqa, northwest of Nablus, and clashes erupt during the confrontation of the young men.

— Palestine News 24/7 (@PaliNewsBot) May 24, 2022

"Villagers confronted them before they reached the houses, but settlers threw stones at them and injured eight, while the soldiers fired tear gas," he added.

"This happens almost every week in Burqa, the village has become used to settler attacks," noted Daghlas, "Especially since settlers began to come regularly to the evacuated settler outpost of Homesh, passing near Burqa on their way there."

Palestinian Red Crescent director in Nablus announced that eight Palestinians from Burqa were treated of injuries, two of whom were transferred to the Rafidia hospital in Nablus city.

A couple of hours ago, thousands of settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, stormed the village of Burqa in Nablus and began violently attacking defenceless citizens and their homes. They also closed it off to prevent anyone from leaving. Fascist scum#SaveBurqa pic.twitter.com/4mNZX5akz0

— 🇵🇸#SaveMasaferYatta (@sisterinjihad) December 24, 2021

In the town of Huwarah, confrontations escalated late on Tuesday, after a group of Israeli settlers stormed the town and attempted to take down Palestinian flags from its main road.

"Israeli settlers tried to take down a Palestinian flag that hang on the main road, but local youth pushed them back by throwing stones," Aboud Khmour, media coordinator of the Huwarah municipality, told The New Arab.

Video | Israeli colonial settlers attacked Palestinian civilians with gunfire and stones in the town of Huwwara in the occupied West Bank, last night.#EndIsraeliApartheid pic.twitter.com/CziorG9jwF

— Al-Jarmaq News (@Aljarmaqnetnews) May 25, 2022

"Settlers stepped back and Israeli soldiers began to fire tear gas and rubber bullets," he added. "Confrontations were so violent that an Israeli settler's car went off the road and hit the wall, while the youth threw stones at it."

The settler’s car in question carried the Israeli lawmaker for the far-right religious Zionism party, Orit Strock, who was accompanied by her son and her grandchildren, as reported by Israeli media.

Strock, her son and her grandchildren were reportedly injured and were treated first by the Palestinian Red Crescent crews who arrived at the scene, before being transferred by Israeli medics to a hospital inside Israel.

Following Tuesday's confrontations, the Israeli army sealed off internal streets in Huwarah.

Israeli army now carrying out orders to remove Palestinian flags in town of Huwara, near Nablus in northern Occupied West Bank.

This part of Huwara is classified as "Area B" giving Palestinians full "civil control" while maintaining Israeli military rule. pic.twitter.com/LqnJYuYQ4l

— Daniel (@daneasterman) May 18, 2022

"Now we can't move freely inside the town," said Khmour. "Today I had to make a two-kilometre detour to get to the grocery store, which is 100 meters away from my house."

Confrontations in Huwarah renewed on Wednesday, as Israeli settlers stormed the town again and attempted to take down Palestinian flags.

"Settlers were escorted by Israeli soldiers, who went on stopping every Palestinian on the main road and interrogating randomly," added Khmour. "Soldiers along the main road fired rubber and live bullets and large amounts of tear gas."

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that one Palestinian was hit by a live bullet in Huwarah, while another was injured by stun-grenade fragments and some 50 asphyxiated from inhaling tear gas, including a man in his late sixties.

Israeli occupation thugs securing Israeli dracula set6mass storm of Nablus village of Huwwara at the moment and Palestinians trying to defend their village.#DecolonisePalestine https://t.co/OR8ep69WLG

— #FreePalestine 𓂆 🇵🇸 زعتر إخظر (@Green_Thyme) May 25, 2022

Last week, a video circulated online showing Israeli soldiers pointing their guns and throwing stun grenades at Palestinians, while two young men, who were described as Israeli settlers took a Palestinian flag down from an electricity pole on a busy road. The video was reportedly taken in Huwarah.

The Nablus region has witnessed several waves of Israeli settler violence in recent years. In 2015, Israeli settlers torched a Palestinian house in the village of Duma, south of Nablus, killing three members of the Dawabseh family, including an eight-month-old baby.

Watch | Confrontations erupt between Palestinian youths and the Israeli occupation forces after colonial Israeli settlers held a provocative gathering at Huwwara town in the occupied West Bank.#IsraeliCrimes #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/186FkCZlhC

— Humanity._.1st (@ML35209678) May 25, 2022

Settler violence escalated in the region once again last December, after a gun attack in which one Israeli was killed on the Nablus-Jenin road. Israeli forces arrested two Palestinians whom it accused of being behind the attack and later detonated their houses.

Around 650,000 Israeli settlers illegally live in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, in some 200 settlements, including 170 settlements approved by the Israeli government and some 134 non-approved outposts, according to the UN. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.