Two mosques in the occupied West Bank were set on fire on Sunday in separate attacks allegedly carried out by Israeli settlers, according to Palestinian officials and local residents, in the latest escalation of violence in the region.

The attacks took place in the villages of Qusra and Kour in the northern West Bank. Palestinian authorities said settlers also attempted to torch a third mosque near Kour, but local residents intervened and prevented the attack.

Graffiti reading "Jewish Revenge" was reportedly spray-painted on the walls of the damaged mosques, adding to tensions already heightened by recent clashes in the occupied territory.

Violence Follows Deadly Confrontation

The incidents came two days after a deadly confrontation in the West Bank left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, following clashes that reportedly began when armed settlers entered the Palestinian village of Tal.

In response to the violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an intensified security operation across the West Bank, deploying additional troops, establishing new checkpoints and authorising a broader crackdown in the area.

Growing Concern Over Settler Attacks

The latest attacks are part of a continuing wave of violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 1,000 settler-related incidents causing casualties or property damage were recorded between January and June 2026, the highest number documented during a comparable period.

The UN said the attacks affected more than 230 Palestinian communities and displaced over 2,200 people, describing 2026 as the worst year on record for settler violence in the occupied territory.

International Scrutiny Intensifies

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are regarded as illegal under international law by most countries and the United Nations, although Israel disputes that interpretation.

Critics have accused Israel's current government of encouraging settlement expansion and failing to curb violence by extremist settlers, allegations the Israeli government has consistently rejected.

The latest attacks are expected to draw renewed international attention as tensions continue to rise across the occupied West Bank amid the broader Israel-Palestinian conflict.