RAMALLAH, PALESTINE (JUNE 26, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) COMPLETE SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW RAMALLAH, PALESTINE - JUNE 26: Four Palestinians were killed and seven injured after extremist Israeli settlers attacked the village of Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah, on Wednesday, June 25. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers provided protection for the assailants during the assault. The village observed a general strike as residents gathered to mourn the victims. Charred homes and vehicles marked the aftermath of the attack, with locals expressing fears of further violence. Many believe the settlers, often backed by security forces, could strike again. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the casualties, while the Anti-Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported 415 settler attacks in the West Bank in May alone, ranging from armed assaults to property destruction. Bilal Afeef, 32, described how settlers set fire to his car and attempted to burn his house while his family was inside. They barely escaped as flames spread through their bedroom. His brother noted that nearly 18 family members, including children and elderly, were at risk of being killed. An elderly woman, Nazmiya Hamaayel, 76, said settlers burned her son’s car and fired at her grandchildren. She lamented that the village has lost most of its land and now faces threats even inside homes. A witness stated that around 50 masked settlers, armed with firebombs and guns, attacked the village near an Israeli military outpost. When residents resisted, soldiers and settlers opened fire, killing three. The witness called it a planned operation with army support. Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, at least 977 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, the Health Ministry said. In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.