Three Palestinians were wounded during an Israeli army raid in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, on Thursday. The clash broke out following an alleged settler provocation and a subsequent military raid on a local home.
According to local reports, the incident began in the afternoon when Israeli settlers attempted to dismantle fences surrounding an isolated Palestinian family home on the northeastern edge of the village.
While the family initially managed to prevent the damage, Israeli soldiers raided the property later that evening and beat the family members inside.
A village resident told Haaretz that the family sent out distress signals as soldiers beat everyone in the house and threw tear gas into the structure. In response, a large number of villagers surged to the scene to assist them.
An ambulance evacuated the injured family members, while clashes escalated between Israeli forces and residents. Soldiers used live fire against the crowd. According to a local resident, soldiers shot two villagers, though the Palestine Red Crescent Society officially confirmed treating three casualties from the scene.
These included a 60-year-old man shot in the leg with live fire, a person hit in the head by stun grenade shrapnel and another who suffered injuries from a physical assault.
An IDF spokesperson said in response: “The incident involved a bonfire lit by Israeli citizens in the area between the villages of Jalud and Qusra. No structure was burned and no property was damaged.”
According to the military, the nearby structure visible next to the bonfire is an abandoned building regarding which several complaints had been received in recent days concerning the presence of Israeli citizens inside.
“We emphasize that upon receiving a report or claim on the matter, IDF forces were dispatched to disperse those present from the area,” the spokesperson added. “This time as well, forces were dispatched, but no Israelis were present at the scene and the bonfire was extinguished.”