STORY: Palestinian killed in armed Israeli settler rampage in West Bank
DATELINE: June 22, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:20
LOCATION: RAMALLAH, Palestine
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of settlers in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya

STORYLINE:

A Palestinian man was killed and at least three others were injured in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya on Wednesday as hundreds of armed Israeli settlers went on a violent rampage, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

In a press statement, the Palestinian Health Ministry identified the victim as 27-year-old Omar Katin from Turmus Ayya, who was killed by gunshots to his chest during clashes with Israelis.

An Israeli police spokesperson told Xinhua that "hundreds" of Israelis were rioting in Turmus Ayya, north of the Palestinian city of Ramallah. "Israeli police, Border Police and military forces were dispatched to the area," the spokesperson said.

Lafi Adib, mayor of Turmus Ayya, said that around 400 Israeli settlers attacked the town, and burned 30 homes and 60 vehicles by throwing firebombs. Adib added that the Israelis also set fire to large areas of farmland that were planted with crops.

Video footage on social media showed clouds of black smoke rising from agricultural fields, houses, and cars, while local Palestinians tried to extinguish the fires.

A Palestinian eyewitness told the Hebrew-language Ha'aretz newspaper that armed settlers "attacked homes where there were women and children... and attempted to break into the homes." He said that settlers shot at several local residents who tried to put down the fire.

The rampage began after the funeral of Nahman Shmuel Morduf, a 17-year-old Israeli from the settlement of Ahiya who was killed by a pair of Palestinian gunmen at a gas station outside the Eli settlement on Tuesday. The two gunmen killed three other Israelis before being fatally shot by a civilian passerby and soldiers.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ramallah, Palestine.
(XHTV)