BETHLEHEM, July 11, 2025 (WAFA) – Several Palestinians, including children, were injured on Friday after Israeli colonists—under the protection of Israeli occupation forces—attacked homes near the village of Al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem, in the southern West Bank.

Zayed Kawazbeh, head of the Al-Maniya Village Council, told WAFA that colonists launched an assault on around ten homes in the Wadi Sa’ir area near the village. They threw stones at the houses, shattering windows and spreading fear among residents.

Several civilians also suffered from tear gas inhalation after Israeli forces fired gas canisters toward the homes during the attack.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that it treated a 3-year-old girl who sustained a head injury after being assaulted by colonists near Al-Minya.

Violence by Israeli colonists against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has increased sharply in recent years. These attacks often target Palestinian farmers, homes, vehicles, and infrastructure, and are frequently carried out under the protection—or in the presence—of Israeli military forces.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2024 saw a record number of settler attacks, many involving live ammunition, arson, and physical assaults. Entire communities have been displaced as a result of the escalating threats.

M.N