Palestinian homes and vehicles were set ablaze in the occupied West Bank overnight, with residents reporting attacks by Israeli settlers near Hebron, according to multiple reports and Palestinian officials. The incidents, described as arson and vandalism, occurred in the al-Mufagara and al-Fakhit communities, south of Hebron.
“Children were inside!” one resident of al-Mufagara, Yusef Abu Maria, told the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, describing the moment settlers allegedly firebombed his home. He stated that settlers broke windows and threw Molotov cocktails into the house while his family was present. The extent of the damage and any injuries were not immediately available.
The attacks follow a pattern of escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, particularly since October 8, 2023, when Israel launched its military operation in Gaza. According to Palestinian officials, at least 1,114 Palestinians have been killed, approximately 11,500 wounded, and around 22,000 arrested in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during this period. These operations have been accompanied by increased displacement and settlement expansion.
The Anadolu Agency reported that settlers torched several homes and vehicles in the area, while the Algerian Radio reported escalating attacks by Israeli colonizers. The Times of Israel and Haaretz also reported on the incidents, with Haaretz noting concerns among Germans in Israel to stock up on supplies amid fears of a potential U.S. Attack on Iran, a separate but contemporaneous development.
In February 2026, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register large areas in the West Bank as “state property,” a move Palestinians and international observers have condemned as a de facto annexation. This decision, which shifts the burden of proof of land ownership to Palestinians, has prompted regional condemnation and warnings that it undermines the possibility of a future Palestinian state. Al Jazeera reported on February 17, 2026, that at least 37,135 Palestinians were displaced across the occupied West Bank in 2025, a record high attributed to Israeli military incursions and settler attacks.
Settler violence is a recurring issue in the West Bank, with incidents ranging from stone-throwing and vandalism to physical assaults and arson. In East Jerusalem’s Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, dozens of Palestinian families are currently fighting eviction orders that would allow Israeli settlers to grab possession of their homes, citing 19th-century claims to the properties. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented a significant increase in displacement due to both Israeli military operations and settler violence.
The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the latest attacks near Hebron. The international community has repeatedly called for an end to settler violence and for Israel to uphold its obligations under international law regarding the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories. The UN Human Rights Office reported in March 2024 on settlements and their impact on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, but has not issued a statement on the recent attacks as of this reporting.
