Two Palestinians killed in settler attack on Qaryut village near Nablus

Two Palestinian brothers were killed and several others wounded after armed settlers attacked the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus, on Tuesday, according to medical and local sources.

Medical officials confirmed the deaths of Muhammad Taha Muammar, 25, and Fahim Taha Muammar, 48, following what residents described as a violent assault by dozens of settlers.

Eyewitnesses told local media that armed settlers carrying rifles and iron bars stormed homes in the southern part of the village and opened fire on residents. At least five people were injured in the attack. Two of the wounded, reported to be in critical condition, later succumbed to their injuries.

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The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its crews treated several gunshot casualties, including individuals shot in the head. Among the injured were a 30-year-old man with a shoulder wound, a 32-year-old man with a knee injury, and a 15-year-old boy who sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

The incident comes amid a broader escalation in violence across the West Bank since the outbreak of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in October 2023. According to Palestinian sources, Israel killed more than 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank during this period, wounded nearly 11,700 others and arrested around 22,000.

The escalation has also been accompanied by an increase in house demolitions, land confiscations and the displacement of Bedouin communities, according to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

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