Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement have called for a widespread uprising in response to a violent attack by armed settlers on the village of Jit, located east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank.

The attack, which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the death of a Palestinian citizen and significant property damage.

Hamas issued a statement on Friday mourning the death of Rashid Mahmoud Sadeh, who was killed by settler gunfire. The group condemned the attack as a manifestation of the "terrorist approach" of the Israeli occupation and urged Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up against these acts of violence.

The statement from Hamas emphasized that the ongoing policy of settler incursions and assassinations will only serve to deepen Palestinian resolve and attachment to their land and sacred sites.

Similarly, the Islamic Jihad Movement described the settler attack as a "declaration of war" on the Palestinian people. They criticized the Israeli army’s involvement in the siege of the village during the attack, drawing historical parallels to the actions of Zionist gangs in 1948. The Movement accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of orchestrating a government-backed plan to facilitate these crimes.

Local sources confirmed that around 100 armed settlers entered Jit, setting fire to homes, vehicles, and agricultural land while the Israeli army provided protection. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported that Sadeh is the 18th Palestinian martyr resulting from settler violence in the West Bank since last October.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have appealed to Palestinians across the West Bank to continue resisting settler violence and to defend their land and communities. (ILKHA)