Israeli settlers torch two mosques in West Bank: Palestinian officials

Palestinian officials have accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank overnight on Sunday, adding to the escalating violence in the region. The incidents occurred amid a surge in unrest that has gripped the West Bank since the Israeli military operation in Gaza commenced in October 2023.

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The fire destroyed the mosque’s entrance and even damaged its stonework.

In the town of Qusra, located south of Nablus, settlers allegedly torched a mosque that was still under construction. Abdel Azim Wadi, the town's mayor, reported that the fire damaged the mosque's entrance and stonework. Hebrew graffiti, including the word "revenge," was spray-painted on the mosque's walls, according to Wadi.

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Revenge

The Israeli military confirmed that troops were dispatched to the outskirts of Qusra following a report of a mosque fire. Soldiers observed signs of arson and graffiti at the scene, and the Israeli police have launched an investigation. In a separate incident, Palestinian authorities reported that settlers also set fire to a mosque in the village of Kour, near Tulkarem, defacing its walls with racist slogans.

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The soldiers searched for suspects who had fled prior to their arrival and identified signs of arson and graffiti at the scene.

These attacks follow a violent encounter on Friday in the village of Tell, where clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israelis. In response, the Israeli military conducted raids in Nablus and nearby towns, arresting dozens of Palestinians in what they described as a "counter-terrorism" operation. The region has seen increased tensions, with fuel supplies dwindling in Nablus as the situation remains volatile.

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Groups of settlers burned a mosque in the village of Kour in Tulkarem governorate and wrote racist slogans on its walls.