Israeli settlers within the occupied West Financial institution shot and killed a Palestinian American man throughout an assault on a village, the Palestinian Well being Ministry and a witness stated Thursday (February 19, 2026) .
Raed Abu Ali, a resident of Mukhmas, stated a bunch of settlers got here to the village on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) afternoon the place they attacked a farmer, prompting clashes after residents intervened. Israeli forces later arrived, and in the course of the violence armed settlers killed 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam and injured a number of others.
Abu Ali stated that the military shot tear gasoline, sound grenades and reside ammunition. Israel’s army acknowledged utilizing what it known as “riot dispersal strategies” after receiving experiences of Palestinians throwing rocks however denied that its forces fired in the course of the clashes.
“When the settlers noticed the military, they have been inspired and began taking pictures reside bullets,” Abu Ali stated. He added that they clubbed these injured with sticks after they’d fallen to the bottom.
The Palestinian Ministry of Well being confirmed Abu Siyam’s loss of life from essential wounds sustained on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) afternoon close to the village east of Ramallah.
Abu Siyam’s killing is the newest in a surge in violence within the occupied West Financial institution. Israeli forces and settlers killed 240 Palestinians final yr, in accordance with the United Nations Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Palestinians killed 17 Israelis over the identical interval, six of whom have been troopers. The Palestinian Authority’s Wall and Settlement Resistance Fee stated Abu Siyam was the primary Palestinian killed by settlers in 2026.
Mukhmas and its surrounding space — most of which lies beneath Israeli civil and army administration — have grow to be a scorching spot for settler assaults, together with arson and assaults, in addition to the development of outposts that Israeli regulation considers unlawful.
The Israeli army stated late Wednesday (February 18, 2026) that unnamed suspects shot at Palestinians, who have been later evacuated for medical remedy. It didn’t say whether or not any have been arrested.
Abu Siyam’s mom instructed The Related Press that he was an American citizen, making him the second Palestinian American particular person to be killed by Israeli settlers in lower than a yr.
A U.S. embassy spokesperson stated they “condemn this violence.” Palestinians and rights teams say authorities routinely fail to prosecute settlers or maintain them accountable for violence.
UN says Israel’s acts in West Financial institution could also be ethnic cleaning
The UN human rights workplace on Thursday (February 19, 2026) accused Israel of conflict crimes and stated practices that displace Palestinians and alter the demographic composition of the occupied West Financial institution “increase considerations over ethnic cleaning.” The Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights, citing findings collected November 2024 to October 2025, stated Israel was engaged in “concerted and accelerating effort to consolidate annexation” whereas sustaining a system “to keep up oppression and domination of Palestinians.” Residents of Palestinian villages and herding communities have been more and more displaced as Israeli settlements and outposts develop. For the reason that begin of the Israel–Hamas conflict, the Israeli rights group B’Tselem says about 45 Palestinian communities have been emptied out utterly amid Israeli demolition orders and settler assaults.
Moreover, the workplace stated Israeli army operations within the northern West Financial institution “employed means and strategies designed for warfare” together with deadly airstrikes and forcibly transferring civilians from their houses. It additionally stated Israel “forbade” residents from returning to their houses in northern West Financial institution refugee camps. The operation, which Israel stated was aimed in opposition to militants, displaced tens of hundreds of Palestinians.
The report additionally accused Palestinian safety forces of utilizing pointless deadly pressure in the identical areas, killing a minimum of eight individuals, and famous that the Palestinian Authority had engaged in “intimidation, detention and ill-treatment of journalists, human rights defenders and different people deemed essential of its rule.” Neither Israel’s Overseas Ministry nor the Palestinian Authority responded to requests for remark. Israel has repeatedly accused the UN rights workplace of anti-Israel bias.
Final yr, the UN human rights monitor warned of what it known as “an unfolding genocide in Gaza” with “situations of life more and more incompatible with (Palestinians’) continued existence.” Their report on Thursday additionally warned of demographic shifts in Gaza elevating considerations of ethnic cleaning.
Report finds imprisoned Palestinian journalists have been tortured
The Committee to Shield Journalists stated that dozens of Palestinian journalists who have been detained in Israel in the course of the conflict in Gaza skilled situations together with bodily assaults, pressured stress positions, sensory deprivation, sexual violence and medical neglect.
CPJ documented the detention of a minimum of 94 Palestinian journalists and one media employee in the course of the conflict, from the West Financial institution, Gaza and Israel Thirty are nonetheless in custody, CPJ stated.
Half of the journalists, the report discovered, have been by no means charged with a criminal offense and have been held beneath Israel’s administrative detention system, which permits for suspects deemed safety dangers to be held for six months and will be renewed indefinitely.
Israel’s jail providers didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark concerning the report, however rejected an analogous report in January about situations for Palestinian prisoners as “false allegations,” contending it operates lawfully, is topic to oversight and critiques complaints.
UN improvement chief says eradicating Gaza rubble will take 7 years
The huge destruction throughout Gaza will take a minimum of seven years simply to take away the rubble, in accordance with the United Nations Growth Program.
Alexander De Croo, the previous Belgian Prime Minister who simply returned from Gaza, stated that the UNDP had eliminated simply 0.5% of the rubble and other people in Gaza are experiencing “the worst dwelling situations that I’ve ever seen.” De Croo stated 90% of Gaza’s 2.2 million individuals reside in “very, very rudimentary tents” in the course of the rubble, which poses well being risks and a hazard from exploding weapons.
He stated UNDP has been in a position to construct 500 improved housing items, and has 4,000 extra which can be prepared, however estimates the true want is 200,000 to 300,000 items. The items are meant for use briefly whereas reconstruction takes place. He known as on Israel to develop entry for items and objects wanted for reconstruction and the personal sector to start improvement.
Revealed – February 20, 2026 10:03 pm IST