Headlines
Israeli settlers burn tents, vehicles in West Bank village, say residents
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 25, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 25, 2026
Quick Summary
Residents of Susiya near Hebron say masked settlers burned tents and vehicles, with verified footage supporting the claims. The army opened a probe amid a broader rise in West Bank settler violence since the Gaza war.
Residents say Israeli settlers torch tents and cars in West Bank village
Incident Overview and Context
SUSIYA, West Bank Feb 25 (Reuters) - Israeli settlers set fire to vehicles and tents in the Palestinian village of Susiya on Tuesday night, residents said, in the latest incident of settler violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Verified Footage and Resident Accounts
Videos verified by Reuters showed a masked group of men, who residents said were Israeli settlers, approaching the village near the city of Hebron, and later burning vehicles and Palestinian property.
"They attack us almost every day, repeatedly, because we live near the main road...Last night they burned everywhere," Halima Abu Eid, a Susiya resident told Reuters on Wednesday.
Military Response and Investigation
The Israeli military said they had dispatched soldiers to deal with reports of "deliberate burnings of Palestinian property" and had opened an investigation into the incident.
Escalation of Settler Violence
Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased sharply since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023, with over 800 Palestinians displaced due to settler attacks in 2026 according to United Nations data.
Attacks where masked settlers arrive at night to destroy Palestinian property or attack residents have become common, as Israeli settlers seek to control large swathes of land in the West Bank.
An Israeli official previously blamed settler violence on a "fringe minority", although Reuters reporting has shown well-organised plans to take Palestinian land in public settler social media channels.
U.N.-Documented Incidents
The United Nations has documented at least 86 instances of settler violence from February 3 to 16, leading to the displacement of 146 Palestinians and the injury of 64.
Rare Indictments of Perpetrators
Israeli indictments of settler violence are rare. At the end of 2025, Israeli monitoring group Yesh Din said of the hundreds of cases of settler violence it had documented since October 7, 2023, only 2% resulted in indictments.
Settlements and International Law
Israel's far-right governing coalition has enabled the rapid spread of settlements, with some ministers openly stating they want to "bury" a Palestinian state.
Global View on Settlement Legality
Most world powers deem Israel's settlements, on land it captured in a 1967 war, illegal, and numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions have called on Israel to halt all settlement activity.
Israel’s Position on Settlements
Israel disputes the view that its settlements are unlawful and it cites biblical and historical ties to the land.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Yosri Al Jamal, Mussa Qawasma, and Pesha Magid, writing by Pesha Magid; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Key Takeaways
- •Residents in Susiya near Hebron say masked settlers burned tents, vehicles and other property.
- •Verified video shows the incident; the Israeli military says it is investigating.
- •Reports indicate settler violence in the West Bank has intensified since October 2023.
- •UN and rights groups link rising attacks to growing Palestinian displacement.
- •Indictments in settler violence cases remain uncommon, monitors say.
Frequently Asked Questions about Israeli settlers burn tents, vehicles in West Bank village, say residents
1What is the main topic?
Residents of Susiya in the West Bank report that masked Israeli settlers set fire to tents and vehicles. Verified video supports the account, and the Israeli army says it has opened an investigation.
2Where and when did the incident occur?
The attack occurred at Susiya, a Palestinian village near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, reported on Tuesday night and into Wednesday local time.
3Why is this significant for readers?
It highlights escalating West Bank tensions that can affect regional stability, policymaking and market risk sentiment, especially for investors tracking Middle East geopolitics.
