West Bank Shooting Kills Six; Israel Orders Sweeping Military Operation

A shooting in the northern West Bank village of Tal on Friday, July 24, 2026, killed four Palestinians and two Israelis, marking the deadliest single incident in the occupied territory in months. The circumstances remain disputed. Israeli forces said soldiers responded to reports that hikers near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement had been attacked. According to the Israel Defense Forces, a security guard's weapon was taken and used to kill him and one soldier; three other Palestinians were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire. Palestinian witnesses and officials told the BBC and other outlets that Israeli settlers had attacked Palestinian homes, and that soldiers arrived and opened fire during clashes. Two videos circulated showing confrontations between Palestinians and armed Israelis in civilian clothes, though neither has been independently verified.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered a wide-scale military crackdown across the West Bank. On Saturday morning, Israeli forces arrested nearly 50 Palestinians in Tal and raided approximately 70 homes in the village. Operations also expanded to other areas: arrests were made in Jenin, Tubas, and refugee camps including Far'a and Aqbat Jabr. The IDF stated it was preparing for "extensive counterterrorism operational activity in the sector." Footage showed blindfolded Palestinians being led away by soldiers.

The incident occurred against a backdrop of escalating settler violence. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least 87 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of 2026, with 21 attributed to settlers. Israeli human rights groups and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese characterized recent attacks as "pogroms," with Albanese calling for an arms embargo and trade halt with Israel. Palestinian officials attributed the surge in settler attacks to the Gaza war, which began with the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, and to rhetoric from far-right Israeli ministers.

Palestinian officials condemned the incident as a "massacre" and blamed the Israeli government for creating an environment of settler impunity. The IDF raided a hospital in Nablus and apprehended suspects as part of the operation. Residents of Tal held funerals for the four Palestinians killed, with reports indicating Israeli authorities prevented daytime burials.