Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian property near the West Bank town of Qusra on Saturday, trapping and assaulting Palestinians inside, according to witnesses and the Israeli military. The incident marks the latest in a series of settler-related violence in the occupied territory, which has escalated over recent months and drawn international concern.
The Israeli military reported that troops were deployed to Qusra and the nearby town of Jalud in response to reports of clashes involving rioters throwing stones at Palestinians. Military forces intervened after dozens of settlers barricaded themselves in a Palestinian home, ultimately evacuating them and confiscating their vehicles. It remains unclear whether any settlers were detained or arrested in connection with the attack.
The property owner, Luay Beyrouti, 29, said the assault began around noon when a small group of settlers approached the house, which his family is renovating and does not currently inhabit. Later, dozens more settlers arrived, encircled the building, forced entry, and trapped Beyrouti and other Palestinians inside. Beyrouti was injured in the incident.
Separately, in Jalud, a group of masked settlers attacked and injured journalists from NBC News as they interviewed a Palestinian woman who had been forced out of her home. The journalists and the woman were reportedly struck with sticks and rocks by settlers traveling in a vehicle.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an unusually strong condemnation of the violence, describing the attackers as lawbreakers whose actions damage Israel’s international reputation and harm law-abiding settler communities. Netanyahu called on law enforcement to swiftly arrest those responsible. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the events as “reprehensible” and called for measures to end the phenomenon.
The scale of settler violence toward Palestinians has surged since the outbreak of the war in Gaza three years ago, with Israeli rights groups highlighting a lack of effective prosecution against perpetrators. Yesh Din, an Israeli monitoring organization, reported that only about 3 percent of investigations into settler violence from 2005 to 2025 have resulted in convictions.
Earlier this month, families in Qusra were besieged by settlers for multiple days, despite promises by the Israeli military to intervene. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned the attackers as “Israeli terrorists” and urged Israeli authorities to act decisively.
During the attack on Beyrouti’s house, Palestinians repeatedly called Israeli military and police for assistance. Soldiers eventually arrived but used tear gas, causing the Palestinians to seek shelter on the roof. Although some settlers withdrew, others remained nearby. Beyrouti reported being briefly detained by soldiers despite explaining that he was the property owner and the settlers were the aggressors.
The Israeli military confirmed that it had detained several Palestinians who had allegedly thrown stones, justifying the use of “proportionate force” against one individual who resisted arrest. The statement did not clarify whether any Israeli settlers involved in the attacks were detained.
On Saturday evening, Beyrouti and his brother gave testimony to Israeli police at the site. Both expressed skepticism that any Israeli settlers would be held accountable, with Yazan Beyrouti, 24, saying, “At the end of the day, the judge and perpetrator belong to the same side,” and criticizing the military for failing to protect Palestinians.