Mohammad Salameh, the owner of the unfinished two-story house, said the building had been intended as a home for his family and a future residence for his recently engaged son. Before construction could be completed, however, settlers entered and occupied the property, he said.

Video filmed earlier in the week and verified by Reuters showed at least six Israeli settlers on the roof of the house, which stands below a nearby hill. On Thursday, one settler was still visible walking on the roof, according to Reuters.

Salameh said appeals to the Israeli military and police failed to remove the settlers. He expressed concern that if the occupation of his home remains unchallenged, other Palestinian properties in the area could face similar action.

“Only God knows. If there is law and order then they will leave,” Salameh said. “If they succeeded with taking one, then the rest will follow.”

Reuters said it was unable to contact the settlers occupying the property for comment.

The Israeli military said it had received a report about the incident earlier in the week and that soldiers were dispatched to the site, where they acted to disperse a gathering. The military did not comment on the settlers’ continued presence inside the property.

The military added that law enforcement involving Israeli civilians in the West Bank falls under the jurisdiction of the Israeli police. Police did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The incident highlights longstanding tensions over Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers live among around three million Palestinians. The expansion of settlements and violence involving settlers have remained central issues in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Residents of Jalud said the latest incident marks a significant escalation because it involved the occupation of a house that had not yet been completed.

Raed Al-Hajj Mohammad, head of Jalud’s village council, said settlers had advanced to within roughly 100 meters of the village’s last row of homes and warned that another nearby house under construction could face a similar fate if authorities failed to intervene.

According to the village council, Jalud has experienced five major settler attacks in recent years, including incidents involving arson, damage to vehicles and the destruction of agricultural trees.

A United Nations inquiry published last month reported that attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and agricultural land had increased by 130 percent since 2023. The report described a significant rise in violence linked to settlement activity across the occupied West Bank.

Most countries and the United Nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law, citing the Fourth Geneva Convention’s prohibition on transferring a civilian population into occupied territory. Israel disputes that interpretation, maintaining that the West Bank is disputed territory with longstanding historical and religious significance for the Jewish people.

Palestinians view the West Bank, together with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as territories that should form part of a future independent Palestinian state. Settlement expansion and settler violence have long complicated efforts to reach a negotiated peace agreement.

Although countries including the United States have criticized attacks by Israeli settlers, settlement construction has accelerated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which depends on support from pro-settlement political parties in parliament.

For Salameh, the dispute is deeply personal. Construction of the family’s house was delayed after the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, when his son lost employment and the family’s financial situation deteriorated. He said he now fears that if his unfinished home cannot be recovered, neighboring Palestinian families may face similar losses.

The unfinished two-story house belongs to Palestinian Mohammad Salameh, who said it was being built for his family and intended to become the home of his recently engaged son after marriage. Video recorded earlier this week and verified by Reuters showed at least six settlers on the roof of the building, which stands below a nearby hill.

Salameh said he sought assistance from the Israeli military and police after settlers entered the property, but no action was taken to remove them. As of Thursday, Reuters observed one of the settlers walking on the roof of the house.

“Only God knows, if there is law and order then they will leave,” Salameh told Reuters. “If they succeeded with taking one, then the rest will follow.”

Reuters was unable to reach the settlers for comment. The Israeli military said it was checking Reuters’ request for comment but had not provided a response by Friday. Israeli police also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Residents of Jalud said the incident differs from previous settler activity because the property itself, still under construction, has been occupied rather than farmland or agricultural areas being targeted.

Raed Al-Hajj Mohammad, head of the Jalud village council, said settlers had now advanced to within about 100 meters of the village’s last residential buildings. He said another nearby house under construction could face a similar fate if authorities fail to intervene.

According to Al-Hajj Mohammad, Jalud has experienced five major settler attacks, including incidents involving homes being set on fire, vehicles being damaged and trees being uprooted.

The West Bank is home to roughly 500,000 Israeli settlers living among about 3 million Palestinians. Settlement expansion and violence involving settlers have remained longstanding sources of friction and are widely regarded as major obstacles to efforts aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A United Nations inquiry reported last month that attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages and agricultural land have risen sharply since 2023, increasing by 130 percent. The report identified continued violence and land seizures as growing concerns across parts of the occupied territory.

Most countries and the United Nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law, citing the Fourth Geneva Convention’s prohibition on transferring a civilian population into occupied territory. Israel disputes that interpretation, arguing that the West Bank is disputed territory with a longstanding Jewish historical presence.

Palestinians view the West Bank, together with Gaza and East Jerusalem, as integral parts of a future independent Palestinian state. The differing legal and political positions over the territory have remained central to decades of failed peace negotiations.

The issue has also drawn criticism from several of Israel’s allies, including the United States, which has repeatedly condemned violent actions by Israeli settlers. At the same time, settlement construction has accelerated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, whose parliamentary majority depends on hard-line pro-settlement parties.

For Salameh, the dispute extends beyond legal and political arguments. Construction of the family’s home stalled after the Gaza war began in 2023, when his son lost employment opportunities and the family’s financial situation deteriorated.

“The neighbor close by has built a two-story house, which they will probably take too. If we lose this house, they will lose theirs,” Salameh said, expressing concern that similar incidents could spread to other homes under construction in the village.

The raids were carried out in Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem during the early hours of the morning. Relatives said the women were taken from their homes for questioning, while several families said authorities did not explain the reasons for the arrests.

Among those detained was Itaf Badr, a board member of the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian health charity. Her husband, Abdelrahman Badr, said Israeli forces arrived at their home in Hebron shortly after 1 a.m., removed her from the house, blindfolded and handcuffed her before taking her away in a military vehicle.

In Nablus, Israeli forces also arrested Maiser Al-Faqih, according to her husband, Wael Al-Faqih. He said soldiers searched the family home before asking his wife to put on her hijab and escorting her away. Like Itaf Badr, Maiser Al-Faqih had previously been involved with the Union of Health Work Committees.

Israel has alleged that the organization has links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Israel designates as a terrorist organization. The charity has denied those allegations.

The Israeli military referred inquiries regarding the arrests in Ramallah and Nablus to the Israel Border Police, which also operates in the occupied West Bank. It said it was seeking additional information regarding the detention in Hebron but did not immediately explain the basis for the arrests.

According to Abdullah Al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, Israeli authorities have increasingly detained women and girls alongside men during security operations. He said gender has become less significant in determining who is targeted, with political activists, university student leaders and others increasingly facing arrest.

Data compiled by Israeli rights organization Hamoked, based on figures from the Israel Prison Service, indicate that women remain a minority among the approximately 9,300 Palestinians currently held in Israeli detention. However, Palestinian rights groups say the number of detained women has more than doubled since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war and has risen by around 80% since the beginning of 2026.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said 15 women had been arrested since the beginning of June, bringing the total number of Palestinian women and girls in Israeli detention to 99.

Rights groups said some women were detained after posting messages on social media critical of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank or its military campaign in Gaza, while others were affiliated with student branches of Palestinian political organizations.

Many detainees have been held under Israel’s administrative detention system, which allows authorities to imprison individuals without formal charges for renewable periods of up to six months.

Last month, Israeli forces arrested at least five additional young women, including four members of the Palestinian national women’s football team and Palestinian-American Sama Safi. The Israeli military said those women were suspected of promoting terrorist activities. At least one has since been released, while the others have not been formally charged, according to their lawyers. Safi’s detention has drawn criticism from several U.S. senators who have called for her release.

The arrests come amid continued Israeli military operations across the occupied West Bank, where violence and detention campaigns have intensified alongside the ongoing war in Gaza.

The shrine, revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians as the burial place of the biblical patriarch Abraham and other revered figures, has long stood at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli settlers welcomed recent moves by Israeli authorities to expand administrative control over the site, saying the decision reflects the Jewish people’s historic connection to Hebron.

“It’s a place that belongs to all humanity,” said one Israeli settler visiting the shrine. “We are simply returning to our historical roots.”

Palestinian residents, however, condemned the decision, arguing it represents another step toward expanding Israeli control over occupied territory.
Local activist Issa Amro described life in Hebron’s Old City as increasingly restrictive, citing military checkpoints, road closures and declining economic activity.

“We live under constant restrictions while settlers enjoy different rights,” he said.

Hebron remains unique in the occupied West Bank because part of the city, known as H2, remains under direct Israeli military control following agreements reached in the 1990s.

The holy compound itself is divided into separate areas for Jewish and Muslim worshippers following the 1994 massacre in which Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Palestinian worshippers inside the mosque.

International law considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal, a position rejected by Israel.

Israeli officials say security measures around Hebron are necessary to protect residents from attacks, while Palestinians argue they amount to collective punishment and further restrict daily life.

The dispute over the shrine has become symbolic of the broader conflict, with both sides viewing Hebron as central to their historical, religious and national identity.

Despite repeated international calls for dialogue and restraint, tensions around the city remain high, underscoring the continuing challenges facing efforts toward a lasting peace in the region.

The incident occurred near the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, in an area close to the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur, according to Israeli and Palestinian accounts.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA identified the victims as 15 and 19 years old. A relative confirmed their ages to Reuters. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said a third Palestinian, aged 15, was wounded and taken to hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.

The Israeli military said troops opened fire on three individuals who were allegedly throwing fire bombs and setting tires alight near the settlement. According to the military, two of the suspects were killed and a third was wounded.

Reuters could not independently verify the military’s account, and Palestinian officials did not immediately provide additional details regarding the circumstances of the shooting.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where Israeli forces have intensified security operations and movement restrictions around Palestinian communities located near Israeli settlements.

The territory has witnessed a rise in violence involving Israeli security forces, settlers and Palestinians since the start of the year. According to United Nations data, at least 57 Palestinians have been killed in incidents involving Israeli settlers or security forces in the West Bank in 2026.

Palestinians have also carried out attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and settlers in the territory. Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency has reported at least one deadly Palestinian attack in the West Bank this year.

The status of Israeli settlements remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most countries and United Nations bodies regard the settlements as illegal under international law and an obstacle to a future Palestinian state. Israel disputes that interpretation, arguing that the territory is disputed and citing historical Jewish ties to the area.

No immediate indication was given that the latest incident would trigger a formal investigation, and neither side announced additional security measures following the shooting.

Osama Abdullah, head of the village council in Jiljiliya, north of Ramallah, said settlers targeted the village’s main mosque during the early hours of the morning, causing damage to an ablution facility and leaving hostile graffiti on the structure.

“Settlers set fire to the ablution room, caused damage to the village’s main mosque, and scrawled hostile slogans on the outer walls,” Abdullah told AFP.

Journalists who visited the site observed extensive smoke and fire damage inside the mosque. The ceiling, walls and flooring were blackened, while Hebrew-language graffiti was visible on exterior surfaces.

Among the inscriptions were slogans reading “vengeance” and “hi from the Hilltop Youth,” a reference to a loosely organized group of Israeli settlers frequently accused by Palestinians and rights organizations of carrying out attacks against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

According to Abdullah, the attackers arrived between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. and were unable to enter the mosque because its doors were locked. He said they subsequently set fire to a lower-level room used for ablutions before leaving the area.

The blaze was extinguished by Palestinian civil defense teams with assistance from residents of Jiljiliya and neighboring villages, he added.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the incident.

The attack comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions and increasing reports of settler violence in the West Bank since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. Palestinian officials and international organizations have repeatedly raised concerns over attacks targeting homes, agricultural land, vehicles and religious sites.

The United Nations has recently warned that violence involving Israeli settlers has reached record levels, reporting an average of six incidents per day resulting in casualties, property damage or both.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. The territory is home to approximately three million Palestinians as well as more than 500,000 Israeli settlers living in settlements outside East Jerusalem.

Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a position rejected by successive Israeli governments.

Settlement expansion and settler-related violence have become increasingly contentious issues under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which includes several ministers who openly support settlement growth.

Residents of Jiljiliya said the attack has heightened fears within the community, while local leaders called for accountability and protection of religious sites from further violence.

No arrests were immediately reported.

Marketing brochures distributed at the “Great Israeli Real Estate Event” reportedly included properties in Ma’ale Adumim and Givat Zeev in the West Bank, as well as Ramat Eshkol and Givat HaMatos in East Jerusalem, areas widely regarded as occupied territory under international law.

The disclosures were made by the UK-based group Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, which said it attended the event and collected promotional materials distributed to participants, according to reporting cited in the source material. The group said it documented listings from several real estate companies advertising properties in those locations.

Prior to the event, more than 100 British lawmakers had urged that the exhibition be cancelled, warning it could facilitate the marketing of properties linked to Israeli settlements. Some MPs said the concerns had been validated following the emergence of the promotional materials.

Labour MP Andy McDonald, co-chair of the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group, described the event as “an absolute abomination,” according to remarks cited in the report, and called for stronger government action to prevent UK-based trade involving settlement properties.

Organisers of the exhibition rejected the allegations ahead of the event, stating that exhibitors would only present properties within Israel’s internationally recognised borders, according to comments reported by Jewish News, while earlier references to settlement locations were removed from promotional material.

The UK government has previously stated that Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law and are viewed as an obstacle to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Police said 15 people were arrested during protests linked to the event, which was held at a synagogue in northwest London and drew demonstrations both in support of and against the exhibition.

According to the findings, settlement-origin produce is entering Europe under “Israeli” labeling, allowing it to benefit from preferential trade arrangements that are intended only for goods produced within Israel’s internationally recognized borders.

Under existing trade rules, Israeli exports to the EU and UK may qualify for reduced tariffs, but products originating from settlements in occupied territories are not eligible, as they are considered illegal under international law.

The report raises concerns over transparency in supply chains and enforcement of trade regulations related to settlement products.

Imad Rajeh Sarhan died at Gilboa prison after a medical emergency on Saturday, according to the Palestinian rights groups. Sarhan, from Haifa in northern Israel, had been detained since Oct. 15, 2001.
The groups said Sarhan suffered from vascular diseases and high blood pressure and had used a wheelchair in recent years due to deteriorating health. They accused Israeli authorities of medical neglect and mistreatment of prisoners, citing the Palestinian News Agency.

According to figures cited by Palestinian authorities, there were 9,361 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails as of May 2023. Palestinian groups said at least 98 prisoners had died due to prison conditions since October 2023.

The death comes amid continued tensions over the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Israeli lawmakers passed legislation in May allowing the death penalty for Palestinian convicts involved in deadly attacks against Israelis.

Last week, Israeli lawmakers also proposed a bill that would prevent representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering prisons and visiting Palestinian detainees.

The issue of prisoner conditions remains a major point of dispute between Israeli authorities and Palestinian rights groups.

Melanie Ward, a member of parliament from the governing Labour Party, said 32 charities had collectively donated at least $37 million to organizations connected to Israeli settlements. She warned that if the donations qualified for the United Kingdom’s Gift Aid tax relief scheme, British taxpayers may have indirectly subsidized activities linked to settlements regarded as illegal under international law.

According to Ward, taxpayer-funded relief associated with those donations could amount to roughly $7.5 million. She described such a possibility as unacceptable and urged regulators to sever charitable links to settlement-related activities.

In a letter to the Charity Commission, Ward argued that support for the maintenance or expansion of settlements undermines efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and raises concerns regarding compliance with both domestic and international legal standards.

The issue gained additional prominence after Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Tuesday that the Charity Commission had been instructed to investigate links between British charities and Israeli settlements.

Ward, formerly chief executive of Medical Aid for Palestinians, identified the Kasner Charitable Trust and UK Toremet among organizations that had allegedly directed funds to institutions operating in settlements. She cited reports indicating that the two charities donated approximately $7.6 million last year to the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva high school in the occupied West Bank.

She also alleged that the Kasner Charitable Trust had provided support to a yeshiva in Hebron, while UK Toremet had previously facilitated donations to Regavim, a pro-settler advocacy group co-founded by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Regavim has drawn international attention for its support of settlement activity and policies affecting Palestinian communities. Ward argued that funding directed toward such organizations does not satisfy the public-benefit principles required of registered charities.

UK Toremet also acts as a payment processor for the Jgive fundraising platform, through which donations can be directed to a range of Israeli and Zionist organizations, including some entities that have recently faced sanctions from the British government.

Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Charity Commission said the regulator was carefully assessing the issues raised.

“The serious matters” outlined in the complaints are under consideration, the spokesperson said, adding that the commission was actively examining broader legal and compliance questions involving charities operating in Palestine.

The investigation comes amid heightened international scrutiny of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, an issue that continues to generate diplomatic and legal debate among governments, international organizations and advocacy groups.