A group of Israeli settlers vandalized several shops owned by Palestinian businessmen in Hebron, in the West Bank, on Sunday morning.

The shops are located in the city’s Gold Souk in the old part of the city.

A statement released by the Hebron Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the settlers were given permission to vandalize the stores by an Israeli military order.

Hebron Governor, Kamel Hameed, said in a statement that this attack is a strong blow to the immense efforts made over the years by the Palestinian government to ensure the safety of Hebron’s residents.

Hameed further urged Hebron’s shopkeepers to keep their stores open to keep their city’s economy flourishing, and to disallow their and the government's efforts in keeping the city from rising to the top go to waste.