Italy and Canada have formally protested an assault on their citizens in the occupied West Bank. The incident involved a group of volunteers who were attacked while providing protective presence in a Palestinian community.
The assault occurred in the early morning hours in Ein al-Duyuk, a village near Jericho. According to accounts from the scene, a group of masked individuals entered a residence where the volunteers were staying. The assailants reportedly assaulted the occupants, resulting in injuries that required hospitalization for all four volunteers. One individual remained under medical care for more serious wounds.
A statement from one of the volunteers described a violent, coordinated attack involving physical beatings and the destruction of property within the home. The volunteer emphasized that the incident was a reflection of the broader, sustained violence faced by Palestinian residents in the area.
Local sources report a significant escalation in confrontations in Ein al-Duyuk in recent months, coinciding with the establishment of a new residential outpost nearby. Activists describe a pattern of increasing harassment, property destruction, and violence against villagers, with little effective intervention from security forces.
The foreign ministries of both Canada and Italy issued strong condemnations of the violence. Canadian officials denounced what they termed acts by extremist settlers and reiterated opposition to annexation. The Italian foreign minister stated that such aggression was unacceptable.
The village is situated in an area of the West Bank designated under interim agreements as being under Palestinian administrative control, where Israeli civilian presence is prohibited. While all settlements in occupied territories are considered illegal under international law, such outposts are also not authorized under Israeli domestic statute.
Palestinian and Israeli observers note a sharp rise in lethal violence in the West Bank over the past two years. Organizations that coordinate the placement of international volunteers argue their presence, despite the risks, offers a measure of support and deterrence to vulnerable communities. One of the assaulted volunteers stated that during their stay, villagers had experienced a greater sense of security, with children playing freely and families able to sleep through the night—an outcome they described as making their mission valuable.