B’Tselem: Settler militias are increasing their lethal shooting of Palestinians as part of the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank
[B’Tselem, a partner of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ through Global Ministries, issued the following release on March 9.]
Over the past week, settler militias shot and killed four Palestinians and injured at least 15 others with live fire in a series of attacks across the West Bank.
In the early hours of Sunday, March 8, settler militias raided the village of Khirbet Abu Falah and shot and killed Fare’ Jawdat Abu Nurah (57). Military forces joined the attack and shot and killed Thaer Faruq Hamayel (30). Additionally, the military fired massive quantities of tear gas into the village. A resident of the village, Muhammad Jawdat Abu Nurah (55), suffered cardiac arrest and was evacuated to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, likely due to gas inhalation. At least five other Palestinian residents required medical treatment, including another resident injured by live fire.
This is the second consecutive day in which settlers have killed Palestinians in the West Bank and the third such instance in less than a week. This brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the West Bank since the start of the war with Iran to six – four by settler militias, one by the military, and one Palestinian who died of cardiac arrest, likely due to inhaling a massive amount of tear gas fired by the military.
Additional fatal attacks this week:
Saturday, March 7: An armed settler shot and killed Amir Muhammad Shanaran (28) and critically injured his brother, Khaled, while they were on their land in Wadi a-Rakhim near Khirbet Susiya in the South Hebron Hills.
Monday, March 2: Armed settler militias and military forces raided the village of Qaryut in Nablus District. During the assault, settlers shot and killed two brothers, Muhammad (51) and Fahim (47) ‘Azem (Muammar), and wounded three other Palestinians by gunfire, including another brother from the ‘Azem family.
During the past week, field organizations and activists reported at least 12 incidents in which settler militias used live fire and injured at least 15 Palestinians, including the incidents mentioned above.
Expansion of Attacks on Established Palestinian Communities (Area B)
Both Khirbet Abu Falah and Qaryut are major villages located in Area B, which encompasses most of the Palestinian rural space in the West Bank is situated – hundreds of villages and towns where more than one million Palestinians live. The attack in Wadi a-Rakhim also took place in Area B. Over the past two years, settlers have been establishing more and more outposts in these areas as a tool to promote and expand ethnic cleansing, attacking even large, well-established communities.
Settler-militia attacks, which until today were primarily directed against small, isolated communities in Area C (many of which have already been displaced), are increasingly being directed toward these large population centers in Area B. *The combination of the increasing and lethal use of live fire by Israeli militias and the expansion of attacks on large, established Palestinian communities indicates the intensification of Israel’s ethnic cleansing efforts under cover of the war with Iran.*
Data on Killings: West Bank
October 2023 to March 8, 2026:
Total Palestinians killed by Israel: 1,041.
- By settler militias: At least 27.
- By unknown Israeli sources (settlers/soldiers): 14.
During 2025:
Total Palestinians killed by Israel: 221.
- By settler militias: 9.
- By unknown Israeli sources: 4.
During 2026 (until March 8):
Total Palestinians killed by Israel: 16.
Since the outbreak of the war with Iran: 6 Palestinians were killed in total – 4 by settler militias, 1 by the military, 1 likely due to inhaling a massive amount of tear gas fired by the military. Notably, all 4 deaths attributed to settler militias in 2026 occurred during this past week.