Israeli settlers raid Silwad village in West Bank, damage homes and cars
Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Silwad early Tuesday, damaging homes and cars and stealing livestock, residents said.
Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Silwad in the occupied West Bank early Tuesday, throwing stones, breaking windows and damaging vehicles, according to residents.
Nimr Afif, a local shepherd, said he saw around 400 settlers descend from the valley below the town and attack his neighbourhood. He said they stole sheep, smashed windows and broke down the door of an animal pen before leaving with a car and a donkey.
"We were surprised at 12:00, over 400 settlers attacked us from the valley called Qais and the area called Sakara from above," Afif said. "They attacked the neighbourhood and the neighbourhood below."
Jumaa Abdel-Jabber, 65, a resident of Silwad, said dozens of settlers targeted his home and his family's vehicles.
"Around 70 to 80 settlers came to the house and started damaging the doors and hitting them with stones," he said. "Some of them were breaking into cars, resulting in the destruction of four vehicles belonging to us."
Security camera footage from a Palestinian homeowner showed Israeli settlers and soldiers gathered below Silwad between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m.
Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions about the violence, its response or whether any Israelis were detained.
Silwad lies in one of the most volatile parts of the territory, near multiple Israeli settlements and outposts. Such attacks have become increasingly common in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Palestinians report routine arson, livestock theft and attacks on homes in villages and towns.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported in July that more than 3,000 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians had been recorded from January 2025 through June 2026.
More than 100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers this year, according to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry. Three Israelis have been killed by Palestinians, including one over the weekend at a spring near Ramallah.