Israeli troops kill two West Bank Palestinians, settlers set mosque ablaze

The Israeli military said its troops killed two suspected militants in a town in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, while Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the territory.

Settler violence has surged in recent weeks across the West Bank, drawing international condemnation and even rare criticism from within the Israeli military and government.

"A short while ago, IDF soldiers who were operating adjacent to the community of Karmei Zur, eliminated two terrorists who were on their way to carry out a terror attack," the military said in a statement, without providing details.

Meanwhile, the Ramallah-based Palestinian foreign ministry said Israeli settlers set ablaze the Hajja Hamida mosque near the town of Deir Istiya in the north.

"This blatantly violates the sanctity of places of worship and reflects the deep-rooted racism driving settlers under the protection of the occupying government," the ministry said.

AFP photographs from the scene showed burnt copies of the Koran and walls blackened by smoke. A wall of the mosque was also graffitied.

Thursday's arson attack came a day after the Israeli army chief pledged to halt settler violence, following a wave of attacks targeting Palestinians in the West Bank.

"We are aware of the recent violent incidents in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinians and Israelis. I strongly condemn them," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement.

"These acts contradict our values, cross a red line and divert the attention of our troops from their mission," he warned.

"We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act decisively until justice is served."

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, where more than 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements.

A minority of these Israelis engage in violence against Palestinians, who complain that Israeli forces usually do not arrest settlers.

All settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.

Earlier this month, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that October 2025 was the worst month for settler violence since it began recording in 2006, with at least 264 attacks that caused casualties or property damage.

Almost none of the perpetrators have been held to account by the Israeli authorities.

Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.

At least 1,003 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

During the same period, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank, according to official Israeli figures.