Relatives of Palestinians killed during clashes with Israeli settlers mourn at Nablus hospital in the West Bank. Photo by Alaa Badarneh/EPA
July 24 (UPI) -- The Israeli military is launching a major operation in the occupied West Bank after a clash between settlers and Palestinians left six people dead on Friday.
Four Palestinian residents of the village of Tell and two Israeli soldiers were killed in the incident, after a group of settlers entered the village claiming to be on a hike.
Israeli officials said violence broke out when a Palestinian man stole a weapon from local security personnel, firing at the Israelis. Palestinian officials said the men were provoked while defending their village from armed trespassers.
The incident sparked a series of settler rampages in more than a dozen villages on Friday, the Times of Israel reported.
