Daijiworld Media Network – Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Apr 19: Tensions escalated in the West Bank after a group of masked Israelis allegedly entered the Palestinian town of Turmus Aiya on Saturday evening, setting a house and a car on fire, according to Israeli media reports.

The group, said to comprise around 20 individuals, also spray-painted graffiti reading “Revenge” and “Hello from Khirbat Abu Falah” on a wall before fleeing the scene. No arrests have been reported so far.

Khirbat Abu Falah, located near Turmus Aiya, has recently been the site of attempts by Israeli settlers to establish a new outpost, adding to the growing friction in the region.

Amid the rising incidents, hundreds of Israelis gathered at Habima Square in Tel Aviv to protest against settler violence. The demonstration, organised by The Peace Partnership initiative, called on the government and security agencies to take concrete action rather than issuing verbal condemnations.

In a separate development earlier this month, Palestinian schoolchildren in the West Bank faced disruption after settlers allegedly blocked access to their school with barbed wire. The obstruction was reported near the village of Umm al-Khair, close to Hebron, preventing dozens of children from attending classes.

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem alleged that such actions form part of a broader effort to intimidate Palestinian communities and force them off their land.

The incidents underscore mounting tensions and highlight growing concerns over security and civilian access in the West Bank.