"Israeli" settlers attack Palestinian school in West Bank

On Sunday, illegal "Israeli" settlers attacked a Palestinian school in the southern West Bank, severely damaging the building and stealing its contents, according to an official.

The incident occurred at Zanuta School, located east of Al-Dhahiriya and south of Hebron. This marks yet another attack by settlers in the occupied territory, Anadolu Agency reported.

The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, confirmed that the settlers rampaged through the school, which had recently been renovated by villagers in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Fayez Al-Tal, the municipal chief, explained that this is not the first time the school has been targeted. "Illegal settlers had previously attacked and destroyed the school multiple times and assaulted villagers and attacked their homes," he said.

The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian authorities, including the Ministry of Education. Spokesman Sadiq Al-Khadour described the settler actions as “a new attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their villages.” Al-Khadour further stated that the ministry had been working to rehabilitate Zanuta School, which serves approximately 40 children from marginalized communities in the region.

“This school provides essential humanitarian services to citizens in remote areas,” Khadour emphasized. He called on international human rights organizations, particularly UNICEF, to ensure that the school and others in similar situations can continue operating despite the ongoing attacks.

This is not the first time Zanuta School has been targeted. In November 2023, illegal settlers demolished the school after forcibly displacing over 250 residents from the village in late October. The villagers, who faced more than nine months of forced displacement, secured a court order in August 2024 allowing them to return to their homes.