Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank in the early hours of Sunday, causing significant damage and daubing them with racist graffiti. The mosques, Al-Rahma in Qusra and one in Kour, were defaced with the words “Jewish revenge” as they burned.

This latest incident is part of a broader trend of escalating violence and attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Palestinian officials report that at least 45 mosques were vandalized or burned by settlers in 2025 alone, highlighting a persistent issue of settler aggression.

Earlier on Friday, a confrontation occurred in the village of Tal (Tell) after a group of Israeli settlers entered the area. After an initial retreat, the settlers returned, leading to clashes with unarmed Palestinian residents. During the ensuing fighting, four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were killed, and several others were injured.

Data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reveals a significant rise in Israeli settler attacks. Between January 1, 2025, and June 31, 2026, there were 3,033 reported settler attacks. The Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate saw the highest number with 881 incidents, followed by Nablus with 660, and Hebron with 497.

Since the start of Israel's military operation in Gaza in October 2023, settler violence in the West Bank has seen a marked increase. In 2023, there were 1,291 recorded settler attacks, which rose to 1,449 in 2024 and 1,835 in 2025. The first four months of 2026 recorded 761 attacks, indicating an average of 190 attacks per month, a 24 percent increase from the 2025 monthly average of 153.

Every governorate in the West Bank has experienced settler attacks over the past year. The source material defines settlers as individuals who have moved into occupied territory, in this case, the West Bank, which is considered illegal under international law.

The escalating violence raises concerns about the safety and security of Palestinian communities and the broader implications for regional stability. The attacks on religious sites, such as the mosques in Qusra and Kour, underscore the contentious and often violent nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Further details regarding the specific motivations behind these attacks and the response from Israeli authorities are ongoing. The data provided by OCHA and Palestinian officials paints a stark picture of the increasing frequency and severity of settler-related violence.