Hebron: Four Palestinian civilians sustained injuries in an attack by Israeli colonists in Umm al-Kheir village, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, according to an activist.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Osama Makhamra stated that Israeli colonists, under army protection, attacked the community of Umm al-Kheir using batons and stones, resulting in four casualties. The casualties, which included an elderly woman, were rushed by Palestine Red Crescent Society medics to a hospital for treatment. Their conditions were described as light to moderate.
The assailants originated from the Carmel colony and the colonial outpost of Shimon. Such violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. The attacks often involve property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and assaults on homes.
Approximately 1 million Israeli colonists reside in colonies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are considered violations of international law. Masafer Yatta, comprised of 19 hamlets, heavily relies on animal husbandry as its main source of livelihood.
Located in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli administrative and military control, the area faces repeated Israeli violations by settlers and soldiers, targeting their main source of living-livestock. Designated as a closed Israeli military zone for training since the 1980s, it is referred to as Firing Zone 918. Israeli violations in the area also include the demolition of animal barns, homes, and residential structures, with local Palestinians facing significant challenges in obtaining construction permits.