The West Bank is a contested region in the Middle East largely under Israeli control. Also known as Judea and Samaria, the name "West Bank" specifically refers to it being along the western bank of the Jordan River.
Israel took control of the area from Jordan in 1967 following the Six Day War, but has not annexed it. While home to hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers living in different settlements, the West Bank also has a huge Palestinian population and is the bulk of what most people envision as a future Palestinian state.
The status of Israeli settlements is highly controversial and while they are defended by Israel and the US, most of the international community sees them as illegal.
"We continue to lead a revolution of normalization and regulation in the settlements. Instead of hiding and apologizing – we raise the flag, build and settle," said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
IDF expands Gaza ground invasion • Gaza rocket triggers sirens in Tel Aviv area • IDF kills Hamas intelligence chief in Gaza • IDF operates in West Bank against terrorists
The transfer by Israel of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies amounts to a war crime," UN High Commissioner Volker Turk said.
A group of Israeli settlers torched five cars and destroyed a garage in Umm Safah, an Arab village near Ramallah.
The incident in Harasha is the third time infiltration activity was reported since last Sunday.
According to figures from the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA, there were at least 220 attacks on Palestinians since the start of 2025.
The Taiba resident, 21-year-old Kamal Nashaf, also pledged allegiance to ISIS, the agencies noted.
The IDF has apprehended nearly 50 terrorists in the West Bank over the past two days alone.
"The police don't do anything. They have never helped us with anything. If you tell them the settler is taking your sheep, they'll ask 'Are you sure it's yours?'"
The IDF confirmed that the victim was a soldier and that he was evacuated to a hospital for treatment. The IDF also clarified that the incident is not being classified as a terror attack.
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