Ankara: Israeli occupiers set fire to two mosques in separate attacks across the occupied West Bank, targeting a mosque in the village of Kur, south of Tulkarem, and another under construction in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, according to Palestinian officials. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the attackers also spray-painted racist graffiti on the mosque's walls. Local residents managed to extinguish the fire in Kur, preventing further damage to the building.
According to Anadolu Agency, WAFA stated that the attack in Kur occurred just hours after Israeli occupiers set fire to Al-Rahma Mosque, which was under construction in Qusra. The mayor of Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, noted that the attack destroyed wooden materials and construction equipment at the site. The Palestinian Awqaf and Religious Affairs Ministry condemned the attack on the mosque in Kur, highlighting that Israeli occupiers have attacked 45 mosques across the West Bank in 2025 under Israeli army protection.
In a related incident, Palestinian security sources told WAFA that occupiers attacked the Al-Dubbat neighborhood in Beit Furik, east of Nablus, setting fire to a resident's home. Firefighters were able to control the blaze, which caused partial damage. The attackers also spray-painted racist graffiti calling for revenge against Arabs.
These incidents come amid an ongoing escalation in violence across the West Bank. On Friday, Israeli occupiers, backed by the army, attacked the Palestinian town of Tell near Nablus, resulting in the deaths of four Palestinians. Two Israelis were also killed in a shooting during the confrontation, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.
Following the violence, Israeli forces imposed a siege on Nablus and its surrounding towns, conducted mass arrest raids, and announced preparations for a large-scale military operation across the West Bank. Since October 2023, official Palestinian figures report that Israeli forces and occupiers have killed at least 1,182 Palestinians, injured thousands, and detained around 24,000 in the West Bank.
A report from the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission on July 6 indicated that Israeli occupiers carried out 3,488 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the first half of the year. These included assaults on villages, arson attacks on homes, shootings, land seizures, and the establishment of settlement outposts, resulting in 17 Palestinian deaths. Palestinians warn that these attacks are part of Israeli efforts to pave the way for the formal annexation of the West Bank, undermining the prospects for an independent Palestinian state as envisioned in relevant UN resolutions.