Barhan Omar, a Palestinian bank manager, stands amid the ruins of his family’s villa in Deir al-Hatab, the West Bank. On Sunday, Israeli settlers attacked the home, setting it alight and shooting at the occupants.
"They came in big numbers. This was organized terrorism," Omar says, fighting back tears. "What's terrifying is that you're sitting in your house with your children, then suddenly you come under fire." Omar and his children escaped by hiding on their roof.
The attack followed the funeral of Yehuda Sherman, an 18-year-old Israeli killed in a suspected hit-and-run by a Palestinian. Settlers believe it was an attack, while Palestinians say it was an accident. At least 10 Palestinians were injured during the rampage, mostly by thrown stones, with one man shot in the foot.
Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been sanctioned by the UK and others for inciting West Bank violence, has approved or retroactively authorized 69 new settlements. He aims to "bury the idea of a Palestinian state."
Since the start of the Iran war, there has been a new surge in settler violence. Six Palestinians have been killed by settlers, according to the UN. In another incident, residents of Khirbet Humsa accused settlers of sexual assault and beatings.
Residents of Deir al-Hatab fear further attacks. Samer Omar, a father of four, points out a new track on a nearby hill where settlers plan another outpost. "Soon, we'll be encircled. There's no safety anymore," he says.