Four Palestinians killed as Israeli settlers raid occupied West Bank town

A violent confrontation erupted in the West Bank town of Tal, located near the illegal Israeli settlement of Havat Gilad, resulting in multiple casualties on both sides. According to Palestinian health authorities, four Palestinians were killed and four others wounded, with three of the injured in critical condition. Israeli health services reported one settler killed and additional injuries among Israeli personnel in the area.

Local Palestinian sources described the sequence of events as beginning with approximately 25 to 30 Israeli settlers attacking the eastern section of Tal and attempting to force entry into residential homes. When residents emerged to defend their properties, the settlers opened fire. A second wave of attacks targeted the western part of town approximately 30 minutes later, during which a child was struck with a weapon. This escalation prompted broader clashes as Israeli military forces arrived and engaged alongside the settlers.

Israeli military accounts presented a different narrative, stating that troops were dispatched in response to what it characterized as an attack on Israelis hiking in the area. The military claimed a Palestinian individual had taken a weapon from local security personnel and fired at Israeli settlers. According to Israeli rescue services, one Israeli was killed and two wounded individuals required helicopter evacuation.

Following the incident, Israeli forces established a security cordon around Nablus and Tal, with all checkpoints leading to the town closed. This isolation raised concerns about Palestinian access to medical treatment for the wounded. According to Palestinian health ministry records, the four deaths in Tal bring the total number of Palestinians killed by Israelis across the West Bank since the year's beginning to 86, including 21 shot by settlers. The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the incident in strong terms.