‘We’re here to stay’: West Bank Palestinians defy Israeli attacks

Residents of at-Tuwani, a village of approximately 200 people in the South Hebron Hills, experienced a coordinated attack by masked settlers in the early morning hours. According to eyewitness accounts, between 30 and 40 individuals moved through the village setting fires to homes, a factory, and a mosque while spraying graffiti and damaging property. The incident lasted roughly ten minutes before residents organized to extinguish fires and push the attackers out.

The violence resulted in casualties and injuries among residents. One pregnant woman miscarried following the attack, according to her family. Residents reported fear and trauma, with many unable to sleep afterward due to concerns about a potential return attack. Graffiti left behind included a Star of David on the mosque and Hebrew text reading "revenge" on residential walls.

Local officials frame this attack within a broader pattern of displacement pressure. Sami Huraini, a village council member and field researcher documenting settler violence, told Al Jazeera that the scale and nature of this incident marked a significant escalation. He described a coordinated system involving Israeli settlers, military forces, and state policies including demolition orders, land confiscation, and military incursions designed to force Palestinians from their land.

Huraini noted that many settlers who harass communities later appear in military uniform, suggesting overlap between civilian and state actors. Human rights organizations have documented systematic patterns of settler violence accompanied by state protection and lack of accountability, enabling attacks against Palestinians to continue without consequence.