Israeli settlers assault Palestinian child, attack water well in West Bank

A series of violent attacks by illegal Israeli settlers targeted Palestinian civilians and critical infrastructure across the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to Palestinian reports. The incidents included assaults on children and an attack on a vital water source, exacerbating tensions and humanitarian needs in the territory.

Violence against children in the South Hebron Hills

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that a Palestinian child was assaulted by settlers in the Khirbet Ragoum area of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron. The child sustained bruises and required hospitalization. In the same region, a settler attempted to run over a group of Palestinian children in Khirbet al-Halawa, while others chased children who were herding sheep. Further north, near Nablus, settlers attacked farmers in Aqraba and hurled stones at a house in Douma village, smashing windows.

Critical water infrastructure attacked and shut down

In a significant escalation affecting daily life, illegal settlers attacked the Ein Samiya water wellfield east of Ramallah. The Jerusalem Water Undertaking, the utility company for the area, stated that settlers assaulted technical crews and blocked access to repair damage to Well No. 6. This forced a complete shutdown of pumping, cutting off water supplies to more than 19 Palestinian residential communities. The utility issued an urgent appeal for intervention to allow repairs and restore this essential service. The wellfield, located on land belonging to the town of Kafr Malik, has been a repeated target of settler violence.

Context of escalating settler violence and occupation

These attacks occur within a broader context of intensifying violence since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in West Bank settlements, with another 250,000 in East Jerusalem—communities considered illegal under international law. Palestinian authorities report that Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 1,109 Palestinians, injured nearly 11,000, and detained 21,000 in the West Bank since October 2023. This reality persists despite a landmark International Court of Justice opinion in July 2024, which declared Israel's occupation illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements. The ongoing violence and disregard for international law underscore the urgent need for a just and durable political solution, a goal consistently championed by Türkiye in international forums.