Israeli Forces and Settlers Conduct Overnight Raids Across West Bank, Property Damaged and Residents Confronted
On the night of 8 August 2026 and into early Sunday, Israeli military units and settlers launched a series of raids across dozens of Palestinian communities in the West Bank, Palestinian media reported.
The first wave hit the Nablus governorate, where troops entered Beita, Burqa, Asira Al‑Qibliya, Urif, Awarta, Einabus, Beit Furik, Hawara and Qusra. Soldiers searched homes, damaged property, and in Beit Furik destroyed greenhouses. In Hawara and Qusra, troops reportedly altered photographs of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and removed a Palestinian flag. Near the Israeli settlement of Shilo, settlers hurled stones at vehicles and set a house ablaze.
In the Hebron area, forces closed the entrance to Farsh Al‑Hawa and raided Idhna. Settlers set fire to property in Wadi Al‑Rakhim, part of Masafer Yatta. In the north, operations reached Jenin and Qalqilya, where stun grenades and tear gas were fired. Residents of Jaba confronted settlers who were attempting to enter the town.
Further raids unfolded in Jericho, Bethlehem and other parts of Jenin. Near Ramallah, settlers targeted a home in Al‑Taybeh and patrolled the village of Abu Falah. A separate raid in Singel, north of Ramallah, saw Israeli troops march through the town’s streets.
According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, 2,256 incidents occurred across the West Bank in July 2026, of which 1,458 were attributed to the Israeli military. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that at least 1,168 Palestinians, including 210 children, have been killed in the West Bank since 7 October 2023. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society estimates that more than 21,000 Palestinians have been detained.
Israeli authorities have not released a statement on the raids. The incidents occur amid a broader pattern of military operations and settler activity in the occupied territory, which international observers describe as illegal under international law.
The raids have intensified tensions, with Palestinian residents reporting confrontations with soldiers and settlers, property damage, and the removal of Palestinian symbols. They add to a long record of Israeli military presence and settler expansion in the West Bank, an area under occupation since 1967.
Palestinian authorities have called for an investigation into the raids and protection of civilians and property. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, as the West Bank remains a focal point of the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.
The current situation reflects ongoing security operations by Israeli forces and settler actions across multiple West Bank communities, with significant impacts on Palestinian residents and their property.
