Palestinian killed amid settler violence in West Bank; over 50 injured after clashes with Israeli military

A 19-year-old Palestinian student was allegedly killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Huwara on Friday (Oct 6) after being attacked by a Jewish settler, said the Palestinian health ministry. Later in the day, violence erupted again when dozens of people attended the Palestinian student’s funeral where they clashed with the Israeli military.

What happened?

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said one of the settlers shot a 19-year-old university student Labib Dumaidi in the heart, who later succumbed to his wounds.

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However, the Israeli military offered a different account and said that its soldiers fired at the Palestinian after the suspecthurled a brick at an Israeli vehicle during clashes between dozens of settlers and residents.

The Israeli forces also said that the suspect – without offering details on his victim’s identity – was struck by gunfire. A military spokesperson said they were unaware that any of the settlers had fired a weapon during the confrontations.

Relatives of Dumaidi, in a testimony collected by Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, said that he had sought refuge on the roof of his home and was trying to ward off settlers who were hurling rocks at their house and vandalising the family’s car when the settler shot him.

Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the killing of Dumaidi a “heinous crime” and called for international intervention to stop armed settler militias.

Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who visited Huwara on Friday said Israel must take firmer action against Palestinian militants “to save lives and reinstate security,” adding that they will further develop Jewish settlements.

Palestinians clash with Israeli military

Dozens of people attended Dumaidi’s funeral under the watch of Israeli soldiers when the violence erupted once again. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least 51 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with the Israeli military saying that the injuries were mostly due to tear gas but also rubber-tipped bullets and three from live fire.

Settler violence in Huwara

Residents of the West Bank town said that a group of settlers – some of them carrying arms – set up a tent in Huwara, held prayers, and later marched through the town and began vandalising shops and cars.

“More than 200 settlers gathered in the middle of Huwara after midnight, shouting and dancing, some of them with covered faces,” Palestinian resident Abderrahman Dmidi told AFP.

He added, “They began throwing stones towards some houses, and then the young people…tried to defend their homes by throwing stones.”

Residents also alleged that Israeli soldiers turned a blind eye to the violence that unfolded. “It’s clear that the settler militias are protected by the occupation’s soldiers,” Thaer Qawareeq, a supermarket employee, told Reuters, adding that this is the third time that settlers have damaged their supermarket.

Recent clashes

The incident comes amid a surge in settler violence across the West Bank. On Thursday (Oct 5), a suspected Palestinian gunman shot at a car in Huwara which was carrying three members of an Israeli family, who were unharmed.

Later that day, the Israeli military tracked him down and killed him. On the same day, at least two Palestinian gunmen and five Israeli soldiers were wounded in separate clashes.

(With inputs from agencies)


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