West Bank village buries two teens killed amid settler raid, livestock theft

Hundreds of mourners gathered in the West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir on Thursday to bury two Palestinian men, aged 16 and 19, who were killed by Israeli fire a day earlier. The funeral procession carried the bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags as chants rang out, including, "The blood of the martyrs is not spilled for nothing."

The deaths occurred after a large group of settlers entered the village, reportedly accompanied by Israeli soldiers, police, and border guards. A local livestock breeder, Hamdi Abu Aliya, said over 100 goats were stolen from his farmstead during the operation. He described a heavy security presence, estimating at least 16 patrol vehicles, with troops deployed across the village and snipers positioned on rooftops.

According to residents, when locals confronted the settlers and the military, forces opened fire. "Anyone who left their home was shot at," Abu Aliya said. "The shooting was direct, with the intent to kill."

Saeed Abu Aliya, a 65-year-old resident and uncle of one of the deceased, described the situation as a "massacre," adding that the village has only one usable entrance and that settler attacks occur almost daily. He accused the attackers of breaking cars, assaulting citizens, stealing livestock, and uprooting trees, calling it "a government program."

The Israeli military confirmed that troops accompanied settlers to "facilitate the return of livestock belonging to Israeli civilians." It stated that locals threw rocks and that no soldiers were injured. The military said the incident is under review but declined to comment on the decision to use lethal force.

Security camera footage from the village showed an unidentified person in a hooded jacket walking through the farmhouse area. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that nearly 90 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank so far this year.