A mosque in the northern West Bank has been set ablaze in yet another night of settler violence targeting Palestinian communities. Residents of Deir Istiya woke to the smell of smoke and the sight of charred Qurans, walls darkened by flames, and racist slogans scrawled across the mosque’s exterior. The attack, carried out in the early hours, has deepened fears among families already living under constant pressure since the genocidal war in Gaza triggered a surge of settler aggression.

Local villagers rushed to contain the fire before it consumed the entire building, describing scenes of panic as flames climbed the walls of a place that has served generations of worshippers. While communities throughout the West Bank face raids, land seizures and forced displacement, the desecration of a mosque has stirred particular anguish, especially among Muslims who see such attacks as direct attempts to erase both identity and faith. Witnesses say the assault fits into a broader pattern of intimidation designed to push Palestinians off their land while authorities fail to curb the escalation.

International condemnation followed swiftly, with calls for accountability and demands that the occupying power prevent further attacks. Many Palestinians argue that settler groups act with impunity, emboldened by a political climate that offers protection rather than restraint. For them, the torching of the Hajja Hamida Mosque is not an isolated eruption of hatred but part of a sustained effort to reshape the territory through fear and destruction.

This incident comes at a time when legal bodies and human rights experts continue to warn that the occupation itself is unlawful. Although recent international rulings carry no direct enforcement mechanism, they highlight a growing global recognition of the structural violence Palestinians face daily. For families in Deir Istiya, however, the concern is immediate: how to safeguard their homes, their sacred spaces and their future in the face of a campaign that appears determined to uproot them entirely.