Israeli settlers brutally attack, beat Palestinians in Hebron, fire live bullets

Hebron (QNN)- Extremist Israeli settlers on Wednesday evening attacked Palestinians and fired live ammunition towards them in Khallet Ad-Dabi‘ village, in Masafer Yatta community, south of Hebron, injuring at least five.

According to Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem, a group of extremist Israeli settlers last night brutally attacked Palestinians with live ammunition and rocks in Khallet Ad-Dabi‘ village, injuring over five; two with live bullets and the others sustained bruises due to the severe beating and by stone-throwing.

The settlers also smashed the windows of several Palestinian vehicles.

The occupation forces later evacuated a tent settlers had set up in Firing Zone 918, and when it left the area, the settlers began attacking the Palestinians who were there.

Only after a few hours did the forces return to the scene and act to evacuate the Palestinians.

At that point, the settlers set fire to an agricultural structure, according to B’Tselem.

The Palestinians were protesting against the construction of an illegal Israeli settlement outpost in Khallet al-Dabe‘h.

Masafer Yatta, a collection of almost 19 hamlets that rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood. It is located in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli administrative and military control.

Home demolitions, confiscation of the most basic infrastructure, military training exercises, and settler attacks are part of everyday reality in the area, forcing many to live in natural caves, as they vow to stay in Masafer Yatta no matter what the obstacles.

In many Palestinian communities located in Area C of the West Bank under full Israeli military control, Israeli-designated “firing zones” or “closed military zones” are forbidden for Palestinians to live on without permission from the Israeli occupation authorities, which is rarely granted.

In the past year, settler attacks in Masafer Yatta have intensified as part of Israel’s policy of expelling Palestinians and taking over their land.

There are nearly 700,000 Israeli settlers living in 256 illegal settlements and outposts scattered across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.