Jewish settlers and Palestinians clash in Duma - IDF soldiers disperse attackers without arrests

Dozens of Jewish settler youth attacked the Palestinian village of Duma, southeast of Nablus, on Tuesday, setting fire to property and engaging in altercations with residents of the village. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Border Police arrived at the scene following reports of violence. According to Palestinian reports, the soldiers and police fired live ammunition and tear gas at the Palestinians, but not at the Israeli settlers. 

According to Palestinian medical services, three residents were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries: a 45-year-old man with shrapnel injuries to the arm and eye, a 35-year-old man with a gunshot injury to the leg, and an 18-year-old who was wounded by a rubber bullet in his eye. 

The IDF reported that its forces arrived on the scene after hearing reports of Israeli violence towards Palestinians. 

“Earlier this evening (Tuesday), a report was received of dozens of Israeli civilians setting fire to property in the area of ​​the village of Duma in the Samaria Division,” the IDF statement read. “Violent clashes later developed between Israeli civilians and Palestinians inside the village, and another report was received of several Palestinians being injured in the incident, the details of which are being investigated.” 

“IDF troops and the Israel Police rushed to the scene after receiving the report and began working to disperse the violent clashes,” the statement continued. “The IDF condemns such incidents and will continue to act resolutely to maintain security and order in the area.” 

Despite the arrival of the IDF and Border Police, no arrests were made, and the settlers were dispersed. 

🚨 BREAKING: Dozens of Israeli settlers carried out a pogrom in the village of Duma, near Nablus in the West Bank, setting Palestinian homes and vehicles on fire. Two people were reported injured after their house was set ablaze. pic.twitter.com/ZqOqRjstQE

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) April 1, 2025

The settlers told IDF soldiers that they entered the village after Palestinians in the area were throwing stones. 

According to officials, the settlers set fire to a car, a building and a chicken coop. Civil defense teams were able to extinguish the fires, however, the car and chicken coop were destroyed.

The incident marks the latest outbreak of violence between settler youth and Palestinians over the past week, following several violent skirmishes last week in the areas south of Hebron. 

While the IDF report cited dozens of settlers, the Palestinian head of the Duma Council, Suleiman Dawabsheh, said that hundreds of settlers were involved in the incident. 

Video footage circulating on social media showed dozens of settlers at the scene, though the exact number could not be independently verified.

The village of Duma has seen repeated attacks by settler youth over the years. In May 2024, a group of settler youth attacked the village at night, setting fire to several vehicles. 

Most notably, in June 2015, a group of Israeli settler youth firebombed a Palestinian home in the village. The fire killed 18-month-old Ali Dawabsheh, while both of his parents died of injuries from the fire within weeks of the attack.

In January 2016, 21-year-old Israeli settler Amiram Ben-Uliel was indicted for the murder of the Dawabsheh family.

He was convicted in 2020 of three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of arson, and conspiring to commit a racially motivated crime, and given a life sentence. 

The attacks on Tuesday come just days after the IDF investigated the actions of soldiers in the town of Janba for unauthorized violence in a raid on the town looking for weapons.