Four Palestinians were injured on Friday after armed Israeli settlers attacked residents of the village of Deir Abu Mish'al, northwest of Ramallah, amid escalating tensions over attempts to establish a new illegal settlement outpost on Palestinian land.

Jamil Mousa, head of the Deir Abu Mish'al Village Council, said the attack took place at Al-Qara'na hill, south of the village, where Israeli settlers had recently erected a tent intended to serve as the foundation for a new colonial outpost.

According to Mousa, dozens of villagers had earlier gathered and headed to the hilltop to remove the tent and prevent the seizure of their land. Following the dismantling of the structure, armed settlers launched an assault on the Palestinian residents, injuring four people. One of the wounded was reported to be in critical condition.

The confrontation unfolded after Israeli occupation forces stormed the village around Friday prayers in an apparent attempt to block residents from reaching the hill and protesting the establishment of the settler outpost.

Despite the heavy military presence, villagers pressed ahead in defense of their land, leading to clashes with both Israeli settlers and occupation soldiers.

Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank have increasingly faced attacks by Israeli settlers, often carried out under the protection of Israeli forces. Residents of Deir Abu Mish'al say the latest incident reflects ongoing efforts to expand colonial settlements through the seizure of Palestinian-owned land.

The attempted establishment of a new outpost at Al-Qara'na hill has heightened fears among villagers that further encroachments could threaten their agricultural lands and livelihoods.

The attack adds to growing concerns over escalating settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, where Palestinian residents continue to confront efforts aimed at altering the demographic and geographic reality on the ground. (ILKHA)