Violence Erupts in West Bank: Fatal Shootings Amid Tensions

WHO:

The Times of Israel - Benayahu Mellet was laid to rest in Havat Gilad, and his widow, Esther, expressed her grief during the eulogy, stating, "You always leapt at being the first one to go anywhere... Just this time you didn’t come back at all."

The Times of Israel - Mellet's father, Boaz, called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and the expansion of settlements in his eulogy.

The Times of Israel - Benayahu Mellet, a 32-year-old member of the Havat Gilad settlement’s civil security squad, was killed during the incident.

The Times of Israel - Maj. Yuval Ezra, an IDF officer, was also killed in the gunfight.

The Jerusalem Post - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "We will act strongly against terrorists and their proxies, and we will not allow terrorism in Judea and Samaria to raise its head."

The Jerusalem Post - National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the IDF to use air power and bulldozers to demolish the homes of terrorists and their supporters.

CNN - Walid Zeiden, leader of the Tell village committee, stated that the four Palestinians killed were members of the same family, including two brothers and two cousins.

The Jerusalem Post - Benayahu Melet, the murdered Israeli, leaves behind a wife and two daughters, aged 13 and 12.

The Jerusalem Post - The head of Gilad Farm's emergency response squad responded to the incident, along with other squad members.

The Jerusalem Post - The murdered Israeli was identified as 32-year-old Benayahu Melet, a member of Gilad Farm's emergency response squad.

The Jerusalem Post - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir held a meeting to discuss the response to the attack.

Al Jazeera - Essam Saifi, a local leader in the Palestinian Fatah party from Tal, reported on the incident.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that four Palestinians were killed and four others were injured.

WHAT:

The Times of Israel - Settler rampages were reported in over a dozen villages across the northern West Bank, where several hundred Israelis hurled stones, torched homes, and reportedly wounded over a dozen Palestinians.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in attacks across the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 21 shot by settlers.

The Times of Israel - The IDF reported that a gunfight ensued after a Palestinian snatched the weapon of Benayahu Mellet during a settler raid.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that four Palestinians were killed and four others were injured, three of them critically, during the attack on the town of Tal.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the killings in Tal bring the toll to 86 Palestinians killed by Israelis across the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 21 shot by settlers.

CNN - The Israeli military stated that a group of settlers entered an area of the West Bank restricted to Israeli civilians for an “unauthorized and uncoordinated hike.”

CNN - The Israeli military began preparations for a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank after four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in clashes.

Al Jazeera - The Israeli military claimed that a Palestinian had stolen a weapon from local security personnel and fired at Israeli settlers.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that four other Palestinians were injured in the attack on the town of Tal, three of them critically.

The Jerusalem Post - The IDF announced that it had imposed a curfew on the Palestinian villages of Tell and Bureij, as well as the nearby Jewish settlement of Shiloh.

The Jerusalem Post - A broad operational campaign is expected to begin across all regional brigades, focusing on arresting wanted suspects and conducting operations in known friction points.

CNN - The Israeli military reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed during the incident.

CNN - The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that at least three others were wounded by Israeli gunfire.

CNN - The IDF announced it would conduct a "large-scale" operation to target "dozens of Palestinians" involved in the incident.

The Jerusalem Post - Two of the wounded Israelis were evacuated to Sourasky Medical Center's Ichilov Hospital, with one in critical condition and the other suffering serious wounds.

Al Jazeera - Four Palestinians were reported to be in critical condition among the injured.

The Jerusalem Post - At least one Israeli was killed, two others were seriously wounded, and at least two others were lightly wounded in a shooting near Gilad Farm.

The Jerusalem Post - The IDF conducted a manhunt for the terrorist, locating and killing him after the shooting incident.

The Jerusalem Post - Magen David Adom paramedics treated a 25-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound and evacuated him to a military helicopter.

Al Jazeera - Four Palestinians were killed in an attack by Israeli forces and settlers southwest of Nablus.

Al Jazeera - The Israeli army reported that a Palestinian had stolen a weapon from local security personnel and fired at the Israeli settlers.

WHERE:

CNN - The incident occurred in the Palestinian village of Tell and the nearby Jewish settlement of Shiloh.

The Jerusalem Post - The shooting occurred near Gilad Farm, a settlement located southwest of Nablus in the northern West Bank.

Al Jazeera - The incident took place in the town of Tal, which is close to the illegal Israeli settlement of Havat Gilad.

WHEN:

The Jerusalem Post - The shooting incident occurred on July 24, 2026.

Al Jazeera - The attack on the town of Tal occurred on the same day.

WHY:

The Jerusalem Post - The incident follows two stabbing attacks on the previous day, marking the third terror attack in the West Bank within a 24-hour period.

Al Jazeera - The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the killings, stating they reflect a deliberate escalation of coordinated crimes between the occupation authorities and settler gangs.

HOW:

Al Jazeera - Israeli forces arrested nearly 50 Palestinians in the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus, while raiding roughly 70 homes as part of an extensive operation following the shooting incident.

CNN - The Israeli military stated that a group of settlers entered an area of the West Bank restricted to Israeli civilians for an “unauthorized and uncoordinated hike.”

CNN - Video footage showed soldiers and armed Israeli settlers appearing to force Palestinians from the area, with calls for “revenge” in Hebrew heard in the background.

CNN - The IDF announced it would conduct a “large-scale” operation to target “dozens of Palestinians” involved in the incident.

CNN - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to accelerate the establishment of more settlement outposts or farms in the area and the legalization of existing ones.

CNN - The IDF stated it had cancelled leave for soldiers operating in the area and was preparing to send in reinforcements.

The Jerusalem Post - The IDF mobilized a company from the Nahal Brigade's Reconnaissance Battalion, two companies from the General Staff's Infantry Regiment, and two companies from the IDF's Commando Training School to help secure the area.

Al Jazeera - Israeli forces imposed a security cordon around Nablus and Tal after the incident, closing all checkpoints leading to Tal.

The Jerusalem Post - The IDF mobilized reinforcements to help secure the area and prevent copycat terror attacks.

Al Jazeera - Israeli forces imposed a security cordon around Nablus and Tal after the incident.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 13:22 UTC)

Benayahu Mellet was laid to rest in Havat Gilad, where his widow, Esther, expressed her deep sorrow during the eulogy, reflecting on his adventurous spirit and lamenting that he didn't return this time. In a separate eulogy, Mellet's father, Boaz, called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and the expansion of settlements, as tensions escalated with reports of settler rampages in over a dozen villages across the northern West Bank, resulting in injuries to over a dozen Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted extensive operations in the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus, arresting nearly 50 Palestinians while raiding around 70 homes.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 05:50 UTC)

In a tragic incident in the West Bank, Benayahu Mellet, a 32-year-old member of the Havat Gilad settlement’s civil security squad, and IDF officer Maj. Yuval Ezra were both killed during a gunfight that erupted after a Palestinian seized Mellet's weapon amid a settler raid. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that four Palestinians lost their lives and four others were injured, with three in critical condition, during the attack on the town of Tal. The Israeli military indicated that a group of settlers had entered a restricted area for an unauthorized hike, and video footage captured soldiers and armed settlers appearing to force Palestinians from the area while calls for "revenge" were heard in the background.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 19:27 UTC)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to take strong action against terrorists and their proxies, asserting that terrorism will not be tolerated in Judea and Samaria. Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the Israeli Defense Forces to utilize air power and bulldozers to demolish the homes of terrorists and their supporters. In the wake of escalating violence, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that the death toll has reached 86 Palestinians killed by Israelis in the West Bank this year, prompting the IDF to announce a “large-scale” operation targeting those involved in the recent incidents.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 17:26 UTC)

The Israeli military has begun preparations for a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank following clashes that resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israelis. In response to escalating tensions, Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered the military to expedite the establishment of new settlement outposts and the legalization of existing ones. The Israeli Defense Forces have also imposed a curfew on the Palestinian villages of Tell and Bureij, as well as the nearby Jewish settlement of Shiloh, with a broad operational campaign expected to target wanted suspects in the region.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 15:27 UTC)

In a tragic incident in the Palestinian village of Tell and the nearby Jewish settlement of Shiloh, the Israeli military reported the deaths of two Israeli soldiers, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that at least three others were wounded by Israeli gunfire. Walid Zeiden, leader of the Tell village committee, stated that the four Palestinians killed were members of the same family, including two brothers and two cousins. In response, the IDF announced plans for a "large-scale" operation targeting "dozens of Palestinians" involved in the incident and has canceled leave for soldiers in the area while preparing to send in reinforcements.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 14:38 UTC)

In a tragic incident, Benayahu Melet, an Israeli man, was murdered, leaving behind a wife and two daughters aged 13 and 12. Following the attack, two wounded Israelis were evacuated to Sourasky Medical Center's Ichilov Hospital, with one in critical condition, while four Palestinians were also reported to be in critical condition among the injured. In response, the IDF mobilized multiple units to secure the area, imposing a security cordon around Nablus and Tal, and closing all checkpoints leading to Tal.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 13:30 UTC)

A shooting near Gilad Farm has resulted in the death of 32-year-old Benayahu Melet, a member of the emergency response squad, while two others were seriously wounded and two lightly injured. In response to the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir convened a meeting, and the IDF conducted a manhunt, ultimately locating and killing the assailant. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that four Palestinians were killed and four others injured in related violence, which has drawn condemnation from the Palestinian foreign ministry as part of a troubling escalation of attacks in the region.