Israeli settler attack on West Bank mosque draws international condemnation

An arson attack on a mosque in the northern West Bank early Thursday has prompted widespread international condemnation, as violence by Israeli settlers and military forces continues to escalate across the occupied Palestinian territory.

Local residents of Deir Istiya, near the city of Salfit, reported that Israeli settlers set fire to the Hajja Hamida Mosque before dawn. The blaze caused significant damage to the structure, and anti-Palestinian slogans were spray-painted on the walls. Copies of the Quran were also burned in the fire, according to witnesses.

The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs denounced the attack as a “heinous crime,” saying it reflects “the barbarity” with which Israeli authorities and settlers target Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied territory.

The attack comes amid a surge in settler violence, which rights groups say has reached record levels this year, particularly during the 2025 olive harvest season  a period when Palestinian farmers are frequently targeted.

In a separate incident on Thursday, two Palestinian children were shot and killed when Israeli forces opened fire during a raid in Beit Ummar, a town near Hebron in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Palestinian officials and international observers warn that the combination of settler attacks, military raids, and rising tensions could further destabilize an already volatile region. Numerous governments and human rights organizations have urged Israel to rein in settler violence and protect Palestinian civilians, though such calls have largely gone unheeded.