Northern West Bank in lockdown as clashes rock villages and Israel deploys troops in Nablus

Clashes erupted across the northern West Bank following the killing of an Israeli settler, leading to the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military has deployed troops and launched a manhunt for suspects, apprehending two in Nablus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz called for increased troop presence, home demolitions, and revocation of work permits in the village of Tell. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated for extensive military action and the evacuation of populations in several villages, stating they "need to look exactly like the refugee camps in Nablus and Tulkarm." Human rights group B’Tselem warned of escalating violence, with executive director Yuli Novak stating, "Millions of Palestinians are now completely exposed to further attacks, with no one protecting them." The exact circumstances of the initial incident in Tell remain unclear, but reports suggest settlers entered the village, leading to a confrontation where a settler's weapon was reportedly taken and used, resulting in the death of Benayahu Mellet. Five Palestinian villages near Nablus were subsequently attacked by Israeli settlers.