Palestinian officials reported that Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank overnight on Sunday, following recent deadly clashes that left six people dead. The incidents occurred in the town of Qusra and the village of Kour, near Tulkarem.
In Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, the town's mayor, told AFP that settlers torched a mosque under construction, damaging its entrance and stonework. The attackers spray-painted Hebrew graffiti, including the word'revenge,' on the mosque's walls.
The Israeli military confirmed that troops were dispatched to Qusra after receiving reports of the arson. They identified signs of arson and graffiti but the suspects had fled before their arrival. Israeli police are set to investigate and collect evidence.
In a separate incident, Israeli settlers reportedly set fire to a mosque in the village of Kour and sprayed racist slogans on its walls, according to the Palestinian ministry of endowments and religious affairs.
The incidents come amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, which have surged since the Gaza war began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. On Friday, deadly clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the village of Tell resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israelis.
The Israeli military subsequently raided the city of Nablus and several nearby towns, announcing the arrest of dozens of Palestinians as part of a 'counter-terrorism' operation. Since the start of the Gaza war, at least 1,097 Palestinians and 48 Israelis have been killed, according to respective official figures.
