3 Palestinians wounded in attack by illegal Israeli settlers north of East Jerusalem

Three Palestinians were wounded by gunfire from illegal Israeli settlers Wednesday evening during a raid on the town of Mikhmas, northeast of East Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, medics said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its crews in Ramallah transported the three injured men to a hospital, noting that one was in serious condition.

The Jerusalem Governorate said illegal settlers also stole dozens of sheep belonging to Palestinian farmers during the attack.

Voice of Palestine radio, a state-run broadcaster, reported that illegal settlers attacked homes on the outskirts of Mikhmas, assaulted residents and stole livestock.

Violence in the West Bank has escalated since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, with reported killings, arrests, displacement and illegal settlement expansion across the territory.

According to official Palestinian figures, more than 1,115 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and about 11,500 others wounded since the war began. Around 22,000 Palestinians have also been arrested during the same period.

In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.